Deadly Affection - Reimagined
by Geezorbee
Summary: Isabella Swan was used to being a nobody. But one day her life gets turned upside down, and she has to go to Forks to live with her dad. It might be safer this way. Mature content. AlicexBella. Alternative universe. Non-human/Non-shifter/Non-vampire Bella.
1. Doorstep Mile

**AN: So I came back a couple of times to try to write this around the time that I last posted a note on the first story, but I just didn't find the will to do it back then. And then the years just flew right past. I can't belive it's actually been over 8 years since I wrote last time.**

 **I hope you can forgive me for not keeping my promise all those years ago. And I hope you can enjoy this reimagining of my story from way back then.**

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Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of it's characters. I just make them do what I want.

 **Chapter 1: Doorstep mile**

 **Isabella PoV**

I groaned as I woke up to that damned alarm again. I hated getting up at 5.30am, but it was necessary for me to get all the essentials done before school. Looking out my window I see the sun starting to illuminate the distant mountains of the arizona desert. Opening my window, I let the hot desert air rush over my face and half naked body. There was something about the quiet morning that was strangely intoxicating, the warm, arid air bringing with it the different smells of the desert. The song of rattlesnakes warning nearby predators of their presence, and every now and then a little bird chirping it's little tune.

I always got a sense of belonging when I listened to the nature, it's inhabitants giving off their own little 'nuclear deterrent' as they woke up, trying not to become someones else's breakfast. It is a common misconception, to say that animals are dangerous. They are just trying to go about their day just like everyone else, and that calmed my ever present fear. I have felt like I was burdened with a curse ever since I can remember. I would always... imagine... ways to hurt others. Deep down I was violent, to the point of where I would just sit there thinking to myself of ways to punish another being. By now I have a gift for just _knowing_ how to hurt someone else, and it was a part of me I feared like the plague. I liked that I wasn't alone in being dangerous.

My thoughts begin to drift as I listen to nature's lullaby, just leaning on the windowsill and closing my eyes. In the back of my mind I wonder if it was the call of nature that kept my dad cooped up in Forks, but dismiss it soon after. And then the damned alarm beeps again, showing it was already 5.40am. Seems I only hit the snooze button first time. Closing the window and turning off the ruckus that was my cell, I gather some clean clothes and quietly head for the shower across the hall, taking care not to wake mom and Phil up just yet.

Stepping into the barrage of hot water I turn on the showerhead's massage option, letting the concentrated beams of water hammer my scalp and neck, getting rid of the tension gathered there from the previous day. I wondered what bathing in a waterfall would be like, but chose to forget that line of thought, having alot of things to do before school.

Fresh out of the shower and into my pair of sweats and tee, I tip-toe down to the kitchen and locate the bread and some leftover chicken from yesterday, putting it in the microwave to heat up. After enjoying my protein rich breakfast I get my mp3 player and head outside for a run.

Listening to a soothing remix from Blackmill, I manage to ignore my surroundings, just letting my mind wander with the rythm of the music. Song after song just whisps by as I run the regular route I take in the mornings. The feeling of wind rushing over my body, and the smell of the desert feels even more intoxicating in my mindless state.

Before I know it I'm back to the house, now full of life as I enter. Turning off the mp3 player, I hear Phil greeting me from the kitchen, where he and mom is eating and laughing together. A carefree smile on my mothers lips as she looks at me, and it makes me envious somehow. While I am happy she has found her own little heaven as she calls it every other night, a part of me hurts on the inside, wishing I could find my own.

Quelling the sadness, I smile back and chat with them, asking them about their plans for the day. Phil starts elaborating how he is going to a tryout for the local baseball team today before noon, as I take a look at the kitchen clock finding it's already 7am. Mom says she has the day off, and is just going to read a good book, before I interrupt her and tell them I'm heading to take another shower so I won't be late for school.

After rinsing the sweat and grime from my body, I change into my jeans and tee and get my bag, before running out of the house, as the schoolbus pulled up into the driveway. It was only a short drive from my house to the school, but none the less I pulled out my math homework and started working in my seat, not noticing who sat down next to me before he started laughing, looking at me.

''What?'' I ask him with a bored expression. I am not anything special when it comes to looks, but for some reason all the boys find it wierd that I am actually good at school.

''Look at that, little miss nerdy using all her spare time on homework'' The boy says with a smirk, looking to some of his friends sitting behind us for confidence, joining him in laughing. Looking back to me his expression changes into smugness. ''Hey, Isabella, I heard you're single and all, so I just wondered if you, eheh, wanted to go out sometime?'' The nervousness in his voice betraying his calm expression.

''Who knows, I might even introduce you to some cool people.'' He continues, the smugness back now that his question is voiced. I stare incredulously at him. Is this guy for real? I scowled at him indignantly.

A part of my mind took note of his size and mass, and thought of how best to take him down a few pegs. I was seriously beginning to want to twist his arm out of it's socket, but I was too afraid that I wouldn't be able to stop myself from demolishing him if I let myself go.

''I don't know who you are, and I'm relieved to say I don't care either after that comment. Get out of my face!'' I snarl at him, raising my voice while putting my mathbook down in my lap while turning to face him. ''Now!'' I hiss, watching his scared expression as he leans away from me, before he quickly jumped out of the seat, sitting down with his friends a few rows behind me.

I heard them laughing at him, wounding his pride. I hear they call him Justin, which must be his name, they are picking on him for being turned down. Had he been anymore civil I might have cared, as there is little that is more dangerous than a wounded pride. I sigh as I realize this might get him to pursue me with more fervor, perhaps going as far as to spread rumours to hurt me. With a bark he tells his friends to shut up, before the entire buss become quiet. It seems we had ended up being the center of attention for most of the kids on the bus. I sigh as I feel too on edge to work on any more math problems, so I put my book back in my bag before staring intently into the back of the seat infront of me. Mostly everyone else stays quiet, apart from the murmurings of a few kids in the front of the bus.

Exiting the buss, I see the common sight of houndreds of young boys and girls scampering to get to their lockers or classrooms. By the parking lot I see a biker bleeding, having been run into by a car with bad patience making rash decisions. The fun never stops in school apparently.

I gathered my thoughts and headed towards my locker to get the books for first period which was history with Mr. Smith. I don't know what whoever decided to have the most boring lecture in the start of the day was thinking, with so many kids being up to no good long into the night. Perhaps that was just it though, easing them into the day with a subject no one cared alot about. It was kind of fun watching the others in class falling asleep.

We were talking about the second world war, what caused it, and in some wierd way we got into some famous norwegian hero's story, Max Manus. Apparently he was quite the thorn in Hitler's side, blowing up several warships docked in Norway, and escaping by chance time and time again. It was almost funny to watch the looks on the guys faces, almost starstruck. Seems some has gotten a new idol. The teacher said he was going to bring a movie made of him in the next class we had, on thursday.

The class ended, and next was math with Mrs. Carter, which had the added bonus of lifting my spirits. I guess I broken somehow, seeing as I actually enjoyed math. The simple honesty of numbers made it easy to just shut of my mind for a while and run on auto pilot. But it made time fly, and pretty soon it was lunch period

Going to the cafeteria I saw Justin looking at me as I walked through the door, his friends nudging his shoulder, whispering something to him. I just knew that shit with him wasn't over. With a frustrated sigh, I resigned myself to the fact that he would inevitably hassle me again.

After I had gotten some food and sat down at a vacant table, Justin approached me, trying to make an impression as he took a chair and turned it so he leaned his arms over the support of the chair. ''Listen, I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry for the way I acted on the bus earlier. I got nervous and that makes me say the most ridiculous things...'' He trails off with a light chuckle to ease my mood. I guess it was a decent enough apology, I could understand putting your foot in your mouth when nervous, but it didn't make me want to forgive him that easily either.

It felt almost predatory, the way he just singled out a person he had heard was single tand ask them out on a date without knowing a damn thing about me, apart from my name. So I just gave him a cold shoulder, ignoring him and continuing to eat my sandwich.

''So I hear you used to live up in Washington. What's it like?'' He asked, hoping to start a conversation. I look at him, raising one eyebrow to convey my irritation. But he just looks at me with a smile, and I roll my eyes at his ignorance.

''Justin... I'm not interested, so just lay off me, okay?'' I say harshly, refocusing on my food which I happily shoved into my mouth, if only to vent my anger on something other than him. I hear him huff angrily as he jumps up from the chair, knocking it over in the process. ''Well fuck you too then, bitch'' He hisses, before storming over to the exit and disappearing.

What a scumbag. Guess it was just the angle he was playing that changed, not his motives. There wasn't alot of commotion about it, though a few heads were turned when he flipped the chair and I could hear a few people whispering, so it did not go unnoticed.

Luckily though, Audrey chose that moment in time to sit down next to me with her food. Having been friends since I moved here from Forks. She was one of the few I felt I could trust in this school. It was still felt a little wierd to me, seeing as she was one of the more popular girls in school, while I was more of the loner type. But she had always had my back whenever I needed a friend.

''What got into Justin?'' She asked, digging into her food. I just smile back and jest. ''The knowledge that women won't fall on their knees before him.'' She laughed quietly, shaking her head, causing her long blonde hair to frame her face in that charming way, before stuffing her face with more food.

Dropping the smile and looking back at my food I get a little more serious. ''He wanted to go on a date, and I've refused his advances twice today. I don't think it's good for his ego.'' I mutter before eating the last of my sandwich. She just rolled her eyes at me, and continued eating.

Finishing our food in silence, we walk out to the corridor together, me heading towards biology with Mr. Banner, and her going to math with Mrs. Carter. As she walks into her classroom, I see Justin around the corner, sneering as he looked at Audrey, before entering the same classroom. Pathetic asshole, he better not take this out on her.

Rounding the corner I enter my own classroom just as the teacher is about to close it, an unreadable smile etching his face as I brush past him. He really creeps me out with the way he has been looking at me all semester, but I try my best to ignore it. I sit down on the third row next to one of the boys that was with Justin on the bus earlier. I would have gotten another seat had one been free, but no such luck when you're the last one in. Turning my attention to the desk, my eyes widen.

''Attention class! Today is the day! Put on the gloves on your desk and prepare yourself for a most enjoyable class in which you shall dissect a frog. Do be careful not to cut yourselves.'' He said out loud, his eyes locked on me as he voiced his warning. His expression one of utter glee. On each table was a large lidded jar with a live frog in each of them, while on his desk was a jar of small cotton balls I would assume is used to kill them.

To say I have been dreading this class since he announced it earlier in the semester would be an understatement. I had a mild bout of panic flashing through my body as I imagined cutting into a frog, and it made me want to throw up. My love for nature, and the animals in it, caused me to feel a jolt of anger. What in the actual fuck would this actually teach us that we could not learn from a book.

I saw the grin on the teachers face grow wider as he looked over to me. The frog were alive as we sat down, but knowing we would kill this creature before long, only to learn som crappy lesson of anatomy that we would likely forget as soon as the weekend started, made my blood boil. How is this still a thing we do in this day and age, it was a stupid and archaic method of teaching kids.

Murderous thoughts, mixed with helplessness, despair, regret, doubt passed through me, leaving my knuckles white and nails digging into the flesh of my hands. Images of how I would break the teachers arms off, or smash his face against the table or even just straight up punching him in the face dances through my mind, but common sense stopped me. If I did that I might aswell kiss my grades goodbye, the whole year being a waste. Not to say it was not a tantalizing train of thought.

And so I watched in anguish as the cotton balls of death was put in the jar with the frogs, the lids being sealed soon after. I heard chatter and giggles throughout the classroom, as the normal kids found life as such a joke. What a joke in and of itself, them not caring about an animal dying, unless that animal was a human, then it would be the end of the fucking world. Because it would be a tragic accident if a 'dangerous' animal killed a person. It's not like animals attack for the fun of it. Not like humans do.

I was staring intently on the scalpel infront of me on the desk, trying to focus on what I could do with that instead of the animal in the jar beside me, dying. Stabbing the teacher instead maybe. Open him up and find out what makes a human tick. See if that was anymore of an interesting lesson to learn for the kids that was laughing and poking the jars on their tables. Like the dickhead to my left.

With a crash, my murderous thoughts were interrupted, as I looked to my left to see Justin's friend had crashed into the row of tables next to us and was clutching his head and moaning in pain. An odd feeling turned my head back to my table. Like the heat of a fire disappearing. The frogs had finally croaked their last, and was lying splayed out in the jar, dead. The sound of someone clearing their throat on my right made the hairs on my back of my neck stand up.

''Miss Swan!'' My teacher half yelled next to me. I turned to look up at him. The sinister smile on his face confused me somewhat. ''What do you think you are doing?'' He said angrily, pointing to the kid on the ground next to me. What? It's my fault he can't sit straight in a chair? I look back to Justin's friend, only to now notice my left arm is halfway streched out in his direction.

I look down on my arm incredulous, flexing my hand in front of me. I could feel the blood pumping in the edge of my fingers, so I must have pushed him with some force. I may have wanted to cause harm to him in the back of my mind, but I didn't actually do it. Did I?

''Well?'' The teacher said impatiently next to me, expecting and answer. I was still trying to wrap my head around this whole situation.

''It wasn't me!'' I blurted out, looking back up to the teacher. He bared his teeth in anger and made a 'tsk' noise, but it didn't reach his eyes.

''Really? Okay. Get up, we're going to the principals office.'' He barked, grabbing my right arm roughly and almost lifting me up out of my seat.

The anger comes back as I plant my feet in a wide stance, knocking my chair into the table behind me. I angle my right forearm across his and push down, forcing him to loose his grip on me, and push his chest with both arms. He stumbles backwards into the table behind him with a surprised look on his face, which quickly morphed into anger.

''Now you've done it missy!'' He yelled, bending his knees. Before looking around the room. It was dead quiet as everyone watched with baited breath. Justin's friend was watching from the ground, holding his head in his hands, but with mouth agape. Mr. Banner stood up, straightening his clothes and cleared his throat.

''Get your stuff and let's go.'' He said more calmly, pointing to the door. With a huff, I turned and picked up my things, barely stopping myself from flipping the table in anger, and put them in my bag. I stomped out the door with him walking behind me.

''And someone get Dustin to the nurse.'' Mr. Banner called behind us as we exited the room. Some of my anger died down as I heard what Justin's friend was named finally. Dustin and Justin. A regular pair of Tweedle-dum and Tweedle-dee, apparently.

The trek through the hallways of the school, up to the third floor to find the principals office gave me time to finally figure out how fucking stupid I had been. I may not have pushed Dustin intentionally, but I sure as hell did push the teacher. Mom was going to have a fit.

''Sit.'' was all Mr. Banner said, pointing to the chair outside of the principals office, before he went to knock on the door, and summarily entering her office. I could hear the murmurs of them talking through the door for a while, going back and forth for several minutes, before he raised his voice several octaves. It sounded like he was demanding something, but not getting what he wanted.

The calm reply of Mrs. Lopez was quickly followed by him storming out the door, closing it with a bang and with only a cold glare my way, before he stormed past me. I looked back at him in confusion as to why he was so mad, and a spark of hope bloomed, that I might not be as screwed as I had previously thought.

The sound of the door opening made me turn my head back around as I saw the strict face of Mrs. Lopez looking at the retreating form of Mr. Banner with a sigh.

''Please come in miss Swan.'' She said quietly, walking back into her office. I stood up and went in after her, feeling completely disarmed in the presence of the principal. I had never been sent to the principal before, so I didn't know what to expect. I had talked to Nina before though, and while she was very curteous and kind when we had talked in the past, this would be a much more formal meeting.

I felt weak in the knees as I sat down in the chair infront of her big oak desk. She was sitting with her hands folded on the desk, the sun catching in her brown curls framing her face which donned a sad smile. It made me feel guilty, almost as if I had let her down personally.

''So Isabella, it seems as if you had an interesting lesson.'' She started, leaning back in her chair and placing her hands in her lap. ''I heard William's side of the story, so I figured I should hear yours aswell, if you would be so kind?'' Nina said in a kind tone, which helped calm my nerves abit.

I took a deep breath and leaned into the back of my chair and fidgeted with my hands in my lap for a bit, thinking of how to best explain what had happened.

''So we were going to have the frog dissection lesson in biology today.'' I started, and I could see her nod for me to continue. ''And I- Well-... You see, I really love animals, and when I figured we would be killing the frogs ourselves I got really angry...'' Again she was nodding in understanding. ''And I don't-... I-... Well Dustin started laughing, as the frog was dying. Poking the jar and straight out laughing, and I got so angry!'' I could remember the burning anger in my body, just thinking about it.

''And suddenly he just crashed into the desk next to us, and my hand was there, but I hadn't actually thought about doing it. But I pushed him off the chair, and I swear I didn't even recognize that I did it. It just... happened on it's own'' I explain, my confusion apparent in my voice, as I stare at my hands.

Nina brought her hands up to her chin in thought, index fingers pressing into her upper lip. ''So you pushed the young gentleman onto the floor because he was being a jerk?'' She asked, still not sounding judgemental or angry. ''Did the young man get hurt?''

''I don't really know. He might have hit his head on the leg of the table, but he seemed okay as we were leaving'' I answered, remembering him getting up as I packed up my stuff.

''And what about when you pushed Mr. Banner?'' Nina asked more pointedly, as if this was what she was actually wondering about the whole time.

''Well I-.. He-... As I was trying to understand what had happened, Mr. Banner just grabbed my arm and lifted me out of my seat, and I was still so angry..'' I had the wherewithall to look sheepishly down to the ground. ''And I know I shouldn't have, but it hurt, and I was so angry, and I just... I reacted. I know I should not have done that, but I did, and I'm sorry.'' I sighed dejectedly.

I heard Nina click her tounge against her teeth, causing me to look back up to her. She was staring at me with a half crooked smile.

''I figured he was leaving something out. I've known William for a number of years, and while he is a brilliant man in his field, he sadly has some flaws.'' She sighed. I didn't really know what to make of that statement, so I waited with baited breath for her to continue.

''I'm sorry for the distress you felt in class. While I don't like that particular part of the curriculum either, I can't control the legislature that dictates what we have to teach our students.'' Nina said in a kind tone, but I could feel the 'but' hanging in the air.

''And while he shouldn't have been so forceful with you, William was correct to send you to me. You should not have pushed Dustin, and you should not have pushed your teacher either, even if grabbed your arm.'' I felt my lungs burn as I awaited the verdict, when I noticed her smile coming back.

''But I know you Isabella. You're a good kid, and a good student. I can see that you feel guilty over what you did, and that goes a long way in my book.'' I let out the air I had been holding and started breathing again.

''So for your punishment, you will have to stay for detention for one hour today and tomorrow, okay?'' Nina tried to look stern, but I could see the smile in her eyes. I nodded my head. ''Now I'm going to call Renèe and tell her what happened, and you can go and prepare for last period.'' A chill ran down my spine. Mom was still going to kill me when I got home. It was both a boon and a curse for your mom to be friends with your principal.

I said goodbye to Mrs. Lopez, and left her office, dreading the consequences for when I got home. It was all I could think about all the way through english in last period with Ms. Reed. I used the time in detention to get homework done.

I had found Audrey before fourth period started and told her what happened, which only caused her to laugh her ass off for a good minute. She could be such an ass sometimes. And I had to admit that seeing Mr. Banner stomp off like that after seeing the principal was kind of fun.

''Hey honey!'' Mom said quietly, walking up to me and giving me a hug. Renèe had agreed to pick me up after detention after she spoke to the principal, who was kind enough to relay the message to me during said detention.

''Hey mom.'' I responded, hugging her back slightly confused that she wasn't upset with me. I may have been a little off in my guess as to what would be her reaction to all of this.

''You okay?'' She asked, untangling from the hug and looking into my eyes, her hands holding mine. I could feel the pressure behind my eyes threatening to unleash the waterworks, but I blinked several times to a stop to that. ''You never could stand to hurt animals, even as a kid. I still remember you crying for hours after you accidentally crushed a spider in your room, back when you were 6.''

A sad chuckle escaped me, as I grabbed my mom tight and hugged her again. I sort of loved that about Renèe, the way she could find just the right words to take away the barriers I would put up and get right to the crux of the matter. It made it so easy to talk about complicated stuff.

''And here I thought you were going to be mad at me for being violent in school.'' I said into her shoulder. I saw Phil standing a little further back, leaning on the car on the side of the road.

Untangling completely this time, mom looked into my eyes again, a little more serious look on her face this time. ''You know I abhor violence Bella, even though I can understand that you were upset, it doesn't excuse your behaviour. Although from what I hear from Nina, your teacher sure deserved it.'' There was something to her tone I didn't quite recognize.

''Dustin had to go to the emergency room, to get stiches.'' I admitted quietly. I figured it was best to get everything on the table at once, so nothing lingered for later.

''I heard. And what will you be doing when you see him tomorrow?'' She responded pointedly, hands on her hips.

''Apologize for hurting him.'' I replied meekly

''Good. Now let's go, I'm hungry and Phil has promised to make his extra spicy enchiladas for dinner! Oh, and you're grounded until friday.'' She almost chanted before the addendum, to which I gasped, but she just pulled me along to the car.

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 **AN: And that's the first chapter of the new story. I will try to push it out and a semi-regular rate of atleast a chapter a month or so, to try and pace myself and not get burnt out like a did all those years ago. I hope you all like it, and I hope to hear what you think.**


	2. Fields of Strife

**AN: So as you will no doubt learn soon as you read on, I have changed a lot of how things work, and how I write. It will become clear, but if there are any questions, don't hesitate to ask. As long as it does not spoil certain plotpoints later, I will try my best to answer.**

 **Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

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 **Deadly Affection – Reimagined**

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of it's characters. I just make them do what I want.

 **Chapter 2: Fields of Strife**

 **Bella PoV**

As I got onto my bed that night, feeling stuffed from eating way too much food, I finally got time to work through what had gone down today. I wasn't feeling all that sad about the punishment in school, or at home, but rather disappointment in myself for reacting the way I did. I couldn't remember ever losing control of myself like that. I held my left hand up and looked at it as if it was alien, because it almost had been in that moment.

I had pushed him in the ribs, with outstreched fingers, so hard that flew into the table next to him. And I hadn't even felt like I had done it, initially. With a deep sigh I let my hand fall to my side and looked up at the roof of my room, familiar lines and small cracks still there which is strangely comforting. Atleast some things don't change.

Mom had also taken away my internet access for the week along with the grounding, so Audrey and I had to resort to talking on the phone for almost an hour after I had gotten home. She was a bit of a chatterbox when she first got started, but I enjoyed that. She never got boring to talk to. I felt that nagging thought creep up in the back of my mind again. That little fear that she wanted to be more to me, than I did for her. I kind of needed her, if only because I needed atleast one friend I felt I could trust, but I had never felt _that_ way for her. And I felt guilty that I might be stringing her along for my own selfish reasons.

With a deflated sigh I got back up and undressed, kicking my clothes into the corner, before climing under my blanket and trying to not think about how much of a piece of shit I was. It didn't work. It felt like it took hours of tossing and turning to finally fall asleep.

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With a groan, I woke up and slammed my hand on the snooze button of my alarm clock. 5.30Am again. I didn't feel nearly as rested today as I did yesterday, infact it felt like I had barely gotten any sleep at all. And my body ached all over for some reason, which is odd, as I did not do anything strenous yesterday.

I could hear the birds singing clearly outside, something that got my attention, and I looked over to my window which was open. Something it had not been when I went to bed, and it made me suspicious. I looked around in my room, checking if anything else seemed out of place, and found that my clothes from yesterday was gone. I was also buck-naked.

In confusion and growing anger I stomped over to my dresser and got on some underwear, before walking over to the window and looking outside. My bedroom was on the second floor of our little two story house, but I could see deep grooves in the grass below my window, and the wooden backyard fence had a section where the top plank was broken. Someone had been in my room in the middle of the night. The thought scared me a little, how the hell did someone get up to the second story, open the window and get in without me even waking up. And I was a really light sleeper!

I chose to forgo my usual morning run, instead going out the back and investigating whatever the hell had happened. Getting dressed in a hurry, running downstairs as silently as I could as to not wake mom and Phil, stepping into my shoes and running out the patio door. Just below my window I found footprints in the grass, probably from the landing as they were extra deep, and pointed away from the house. I could almost fit my shoes into the grooves, although it didn't seem like whoever had made them was wearing shoes from the look of it. The grass also looked slightly... brown-ish.

As a matter of fact, I could make out all the footprints along the lawn, as each one of them had left the grass brown in small patches. But the strides inbetween each patch was huge! I tried to take as bigs steps, but almost ended up doing a split on my lawn. I had to take almost two full steps to comfortably reach each patch. It also seemed as if whoever it was favored running on the front of their feet, as the patches was slightly more brown on the front end of each step.

I followed the patches all the way to the fence, more specifically to the part where the top of the three wooden planks was broken. It was broken a little off center, directly infront of the patches of brown grass, but I noticed the nails had not been bent out of the posts on either side of the break. The edges of the break also seemed shriveled on both sides, which was odd as the fence itself was only a couple of years old.

My mind was spinning with confusion, fear and even curiosity. The latter made me jump over the fence, carefully testing it with my weight so as to not have it break on me with each step on the planks. Outside the fence the grass quickly stopped and sand took its place which made it harder to follow the trail as the sand had not been discolored. I could see atleast a few different pairs of footprints in the sand though, and when I tried to measure two steps inbetween each mark, there was only one of them that matched.

I followed the path away from the house a good couple of hundred meters into the desert, almost poking myself on the cacti a few places. It seemed whoever had left the trail, didn't bother running around the small bushes and cacti though, as several were left broken and strewn on the sandy desert floor. That was not the wierdest part however.

When I walked into a particularly dense set of bushes, a bad smell of rot and decay hit my nose, making my gag and hold up my sweater infront of my face. A large swathe of bushes and cacti and shrubs were completely wilted. The trail ended in the center of the dead plants, whatever the hell had left them, seemed to be an animal. It looked like two large five taloned feet in the sand, which looked almost like it had started to melt. Standing in the middle, I estimated the area to be almost a three meter in diameter circle of dead plants around the wierd footprints.

Cacti were a ugly green-gray mix, with white goo pouring out of the cracks. Small shrubs were completely wilted and gray, breaking apart when I touched them. Little tufts of grass that was poking out of the sand was almost a yellowish color and was sagging into the ground. A branch of a small tree on the edge of the circle had bark falling off of it, all the leaves gone.

I bent down to look more closely at the marks in the sand, and found small fragments of blue fabric around them. I picked the biggest strip I could find up with my fingers and tried to pull it appart, which confirmed my suspicion. It was denim, like the jeans that had gone missing yesterday. Looking around a bit further away, I could see small strips of red fabric mixed among the blue, and feeling the cotton, I would hazard a guess that this was whatever was left of the tee I had worn yesterday.

What in the actual fuck was going on here?! Before panicking completely, I took out my phone, placed my right foot besides the footprints in the sand, and take a picture of it. Then I stepped back to the edge of the circle and took a few pictures of the dead plants. My mind was whirling with a jumbled mess of questions as I stumbled my way back to the house. Mom and Phil hadn't gotten up yet as I got back inside, kicking off my shoes in the living room.

I walked back into my room in a daze, closing the window and sitting down on my bed, grabbing my knees and hugging them to me. Who, and _what,_ the fuck had been in my room last night? And why, what did he or she want with me? Why the fuck had whoever it was ruined my clothes outside in the bushes? And why me?

I didn't noticed that I had started rocking back and forth, the questions running circles around in my head over and over with no answers, before mom shook me out of my daze. I jumped with a startled cry when I felt her hands on my shoulders, which she quickly withdrew. I could see the concern and pity clearly on her face as I focused on her.

I closed my eyes and exhaled, trying to calm my mind, before looking back at her, somewhat more in control again.

''Sorry, I didn't notice you come in. I was kinda lost in thought.'' I explain quietly, hoping she wouldn't dig too much into it. There is no way I could tell her what I had found earlier. She would freak the fuck out, and probably demand that we move far away from here, with armed guards standing by as we packed our shit.

''What's on your mind hun? Are you worried about going to school today?'' She asks, putting her right hand on my left shoulder with a small squeeze. That's right, I got more shit to deal with today than just a scary somehow supernatural stalker in the night. Yay me.

''Uhm, yeah, something like that.'' I respond unconvincingly with a shrug. I'm thanking my lucky stars for her aid in coming up with an excuse though. I'm not sure I could have come up with one, with how much of a mess my mind is right now. ''Hey, what time is it?''

''It's 6:45 dear. I was a little worried when I found your shoes in the living room. You are usually out running by now most days.'' I could tell from her voice she wasn't completely convinced by my excuse, but she didn't push it any further. ''I'm going to make some breakfast for me and Phil. You want some?'' She asked, standing up and making to leave my room. I shook my head.

''No I think I'll just take a shower and head off to school, I don't really feel hungry today.'' I answered with some pep, to dispel her concerns. I bounced off my bed and headed for the bathroom. The hard streams of water didn't seem to be able to easy my aching muscles, but I suppose I wasn't entirely surprised by that. I didn't even notice how long I had been standing in the shower thinking about it all until the water started getting cold.

After I got out of the shower, I grabbed some dental floss and two small strips of medical tape from the cupboard, and went into my room. Attaching the one strip to the bottom of my window sill with the string of floss, and the other strip on the window itself. Atleast now I would be able to check if anyone had opened my window.

Looking at my phone, I saw that I was getting short on time, so I grabbed my bag and ran out of the house just in time to make the bus.

Neither Dustin nor Justin was on the bus today for some reason, though I didn't really mind that terribly. It was quiet on the bus, but my mind was still buzzing with the same questions, so doing some homework on the way was out of the question. Looking out the window into the desert as we drove by, I tried to find anything out of place, though it proved to be a useless endeavor. I decided that I would use lunch period today to go into the library and use the computers there to search the internet for any clues later.

I had english with Ms. Reed the first double period today which I shared with Audrey. She caught me off-guard at my locker as I was getting my books with a cheery smile.

''Good morning Ella-Bella!'' She almost half-shouted while hopping up and down in one place. I cringed at the nickname, and at the fact that her books she was holding infront of her were threatening to cause an accident to come out of her top with how they were positioned. The nagging feeling came back, but I quashed it without mercy and returned a smile.

''Hello Audrey. What's got you in such a good mood?'' She stopped bouncing and flashed her pearly whites in a wide grin.

''Why I've got a class with the school's hottest topic of the day of course!'' Audrey chirped, grabbing my arm after I closed the locker, and dragging me towards the classroom. I could see her expression deflate when I tried to free my arm, which she released reluctantly.

''Well isn't it nice that someone is having fun from my stupidity. About that, is Dustin in school today? I didn't see him on the bus.'' I asked her, looking to the side at her when she leaned into me to whisper back.

''They are both here, Justin and Dustin were driven by Justin's parents. Dustin had to get eight stiches in his head, and from what I heard Justin's pissed off at you. I heard Monika say he was looking forward to confronting you about it.'' I sighed loudly enough for Audrey to look at me funny.

Why was I not surprised that Justin had taken this as a slight towards him. I had more pressing matters to deal with damn it. Why could that boy not just leave me alone.

''Well whoopdidoo I guess. What is Justin's deal anyway, other than being a lying sleazeball.'' I asked her, wondering a little how much I should care about the creep. The look I got from her surprised me a little.

''You mean you don't know? Really?'' Her brows were raised in a look of shock, and her voice two octaves higher than normal.

''No, I didn't even know his name until after I rejected his offer of a date. Why? Should I care?'' I responded quietly and I was starting to get concerned. Audrey was not easily scared, but I could see that she was now.

''Should you care? Should you care?! His family is like, made of money. His dad's a lawyer. I thought you had a plan for how to deal with him, like you usually do.'' She had stopped infront of me and was talking rather loudly, which had caused a small set of onlookers. Yay me.

''Don't worry about it Audrey, I can handle one little brat.'' I answered back quietly, grabbing her arm and pulling her along the hall with me, away from the crowd. She didn't talk to me after that, choosing to sit quietly next to me all class as Ms. Reed droned on about some big test that was coming up soon.

I didn't really manage to follow along that well, instead thinking about the two conundrums I would have to deal with in the near future. I luckily didn't have a class with either of the two boys that the smaller of the two problems before after lunch, and since I was planning to spend lunch in the library I probably wouldn't have to deal with them until after third period. I was looking forward to finding some if any answer about the bigger of the two problems during lunch, and tried to refocus on Ms. Reed and follow along with the lecture.

Aparently we were going to study poems in the foreseeable future. I was wondering which would be more agonizing, doing that for an extended amount of time, or gouging my own eyes out.

Somehow time managed to dredge is feet along, and the bell rang it's unpleasant cry, signaling my freedom to go to the library. As I was packing my things I heard Audrey leave with a huff, not even saying goodbye before she stormed out of the room.

I went by the vending machine in the hall on the way to the library and got an energy bar that I started munching on the way there. It looked empty when I got there, although I could hear someone in one of the aisles shuffling books, which I figured would be the librarian.

The computers were stacked in the far corner, behind a few aisles, and even they were unoccupied. I figured it would be though, there wasn't many people that used the library during lunch hour. I logged in with my school account and started searching for anything like circles of dead plants, or any freak occurrences in the nearby area, but other than a few articles about crop circles and UFO sightings I didn't find anything.

I read post after useless post about useless conspiracy theories on everything from the government making frogs gay with chemicals, to the droughts in California being some government plot. Until I found an article dating from 2001 that was about a UFO cropcircle up in Nevada which had a almost perfect circle of dead and rotting corn, and the pictures in the articles sent chills down my spine.

The damages to the crops looked almost identical to what I had seen close to my house this morning, only this circle was massive. Almost fifty meters in diameter of rotting husks of corn and brown and wilted stalks that seemed to have broken from a light breeze. The aerial photo of the scene almost made me balk.

This was so much bigger than what I had found, but it looked to similar to be a coincidence. I had no idea why the field today was so much smaller, so many years later, but it had to be the same thing.

My train of thought was abruptly broken when I heard the door open with a squeak, followed by two pairs of feet walking in what sounded like my direction with a purpose. It seems I wouldn't get to wait until after third period to have this little showdown, and with only four people around I wasn't sure how well this was going to turn out.

I quickly closed the browser and logged out of the computer, before turning and standing up just as Justin's ugly mug came around the aisle, followed by Dustin who had a large bandage on the top left side of his head.

I could tell Justin was mad from the look in his eyes, scowling back at me. Dustin was looking intently down at the floor, like he didn't even want to be here.

''Well look what we have here. A little coward hiding away in the library.'' Justin hissed and I had to stop the urge to roll my eyes. This kid's ego seemed to be bigger than I had imagined. Instead of answering his verbal jab, I looked over at Dustin who was still looking at the floor.

''Hey Dustin?'' I prompted quietly, which got the reaction I wanted as he looked up at me.

He made a point of clearing his throat before speaking. ''Yes?'' Atleast his tone of voice wasn't hostile, so maybe there was hope.

''I wanted to apologize to you for hurting you yesterday. I don't know what came over me at the time, but it does not excuse my actions. I'm sorry that I pushed you, and I hope you can forgive me for being an idiot.'' I say sincerely, keeping eye contact the whole time.

He motions up to his bandage. ''Oh this? Don't worry about it, it's all good. I heard about how you are with animals, so I wanted to apologize too, for being such an ass.'' He seemed more embarrased than mad which was a relief. The same did not apply to Justin however.

''No it's not fucking okay!'' He barked sideways at Dustin, who cowered and took a half step away from him. ''And you!'' He growled, pointing to me. ''You don't just get to say you're sorry! You put my friend in the emergency room!'' I could imagine seeing him foaming at the mouth like some rabid dog.

''What's your problem Justin? Can't handle it when a girl doesn't fall into your arms every time you speak?'' I taunt, crossing my arms infront of me. I am suddenly acutely aware of a slight predicament. They are blocking my path out of the aisle, and the librarian can't see what's going on back here.

I can see from the way his body tenses that I got the reaction I wanted from that, but he does not make a move towards me.

''Come on man, let's just go.'' Dustin tried to reason with him, grabbing his left arm, only for Justin to half-turn and push him into the aisle next to him. The wood creaks from the impact, though Dustin seems mostly okay.

''No, this bitch needs to learn her place!'' He shouted in anger, and I could hear the librarian gasp out loud and start to make her way to us.

''My place is where ever the fuck I want to be you jerk.'' I respond as I walk past him, shoulder checking him. I don't get two steps before his hand is on my shoulder, grabbing on tightly.

''What, you're gonna run back to your carpet muncher friend all of a sudden?'' He tried to sound glib, but only came off as whiny. It did serve well to piss me off however.

I turned around quickly, dislodging his arm in the process. ''What did you say.'' I growl at him, and for a brief second I see fear in his eyes.

''I'm saying you're a coward that is running back to her dyke.'' He taunts with glee. It seems it amuses him that he finally found something that got me mad.

''Maybe you should have yourself checked out, girls seem to be turning gay left and right around your sorry ass.'' I growl back, knowing how stupid it was to hurt his ego at this point. There was probably no way this didn't end up in a fight at this point.

I saw the change in his expression as he caught my meaning, and his jaw tensed at about the same time as his right hand was coming towards me in a fist. I felt a jolt of adrenaline as I bent my knees slightly, and was lifting my left hand up to shield my face, which seemed to be where he was aiming. I stepped in towards him with my left foot and brought my right arm up to my side, forming a fist and aiming for his ribs. Hopefully I could knock the air out of him long enough for the librarian to get here.

His hand glanced of my upper arm and shoulder just before my own connected to his ribs, and was surprised when I could feel two, no three ribs breaking, and my hand was still going. He exhaled sharply, and that was when I first noticed that time seemed to have... slowed down. I pulled my hand back to avoid breaking any more of his ribs, but even as I did so I noticed his body was pulling backwards, his shoes slipping off the wooden floor. It seemed like he was floating backwards slowly, his eyes shut and a pained cry leaving his lips.

I looked down on my hand at my side, bringing it up to chest level. My skin almost seemed to be... shimmering in the light. I heard the librarian shout behind me as Justin was mid-flight, on collision course with the shelves he had shoved Dustin into not a few minutes prior.

As I watched Justin hunch up, preparing for the impact with the aisle, time seemed to return to normal. With a loud 'CRACK', he hit and broke a few shelves on impact, before falling to the floor in a heap. His right arm looked like it might have been dislocated by the odd angle it was sticking out at.

Dustin just stood there mouth agape, staring down at his friend, and the first person to speak was the librarian.

''What the hell did you do young lady?'' Her nasal voice made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. ''Boy, go get a teacher. You stay right here missy!''

Dustin made to leave rather quickly, sparing one last look at Justin. I groaned as I realised how fucked I was. This was bad. I knew I had broken several ribs. I could feel them shattering under the pressure from my fist when I punched him. I didn't feel any pain in my knuckles for some reason.

I looked back down on my arm, noticing that the shimmering... thing, was gone. There was also no redness or bruising on my knuckles.

The librarian bent down next to Justin and took his pulse, though I could see him breathing so I knew he was fine. Probably just knocked out from the impact.

I sat down in the chair I had occupied earlier next to the computer, as I heard the commotion of people rushing in the door to the library.

With a deflated sigh, I picked up my phone and called mom.

''Hello hunny! What's up champ?'' Renèe answered with a happy trill. Someone was having a good day of doing nothing. Bummer.

''Mom... I fucked up. Badly.'' I reply with a groan, putting my other hand up to my face.

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

Lying in bed I wondered how I managed to get myself caught up in so much bullshit these last couple of days.

I had been suspended and was sent home from school before third period was over. And we, me and mom, had to go back to have a meeting with Nina again tomorrow after school. Neither Renèe or Nina were happy with me pulling a stunt like this the very next day, but was a little more lenient when they heard that Justin had thrown the first punch.

And I was hating my own guts when I heard that Phil had finally gotten down on one knee and asked for my mothers hand in marriage, less than one fucking hour before I had called her. He had asked me for my blessing almost two weeks ago, but didn't seem to find the right time. And when he did, I happened. I felt like I was just a raincloud, spreading misery and problems on everyone who gets too close.

Mom did look really happy whenever I saw her looking at her new ring, it looked good on her, and I was happy that I had helped pick it out with Phil. Renèe had barely gotten her eyes off of him during dinner earlier. They were really great together, and even though they would never admit it, I could tell they would like some space to themselves. As the noise from the other room could attest.

I hadn't seen or talked to Audrey after what happened, and I was kind of worried that Justin had gotten to her at lunch, before they came to me. That could even be the reason she denied my call earlier, now that I think about it.

I flipped over to my nightstand and get the remote for the radio and turn it on, to block out the other noise. My mind was buzzing with uncertainty and worry, so I tried to focus on the music, slowly feeling sleep come to me.

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

I woke with a start completely in the buff, with even my bedsheets missing. I was drenched in sweat and cold. The window was open again. I looked around the room in a panic. It was dark out, probably the middle of the night, but I could see even the shadows clearly. It was empty, I was alone.

Fearing the worst, I concentrated on my body, feeling for any pain or oddities. I found I could feel my body a lot more clearly. As if it was... 'louder' in a way. And I could feel strength. I got out of bed with an ease that felt really strange.

The floorboards creaked under my weight, but it almost felt as if I was gliding. I went over to my dresser and put on a big t-shirt, before I went over to the window. The tape I had attached to the windowsill was suspended in the air by the string, with a corner folded ever so slightly.

Looking outside I could see the sky was cloudy with the barest evidence of the moon hiding behind them, yet I could see the plains as if it was a clear moonlit night. Everywhere, apart from over by where I found the rotted plants yesterday.

I could see the patch of dead plants, or lack thereof. It looked pitch black, as black as I would imagine this night to be based on the clouds. And not 50 meters further, at the start of the hill, a second dark patch, bigger than the first.

Jumping back, I found myself almost crashing into my door. I breathed heavily, after noticing I had been holding it in for however long I was looking out the window. Closing the window, putting on the latch, and heading for the bathroom. The doors creaked as I opened them, but I didn't care as I went to the mirror.

What? Red?

I jumped back to the door and hit the light switch, wincing as the light forced me to close my eyes. I fought through the urge to keep my eyes closed. I had to check again.

Staring into my reflection I looked at my reflection again. Chocolate brown.

With a gasp I grabbed onto the sink with my hands. Damn I was hungry. And tired.

I felt woozy as I stumbled back to my room and fell onto my bed.

Then darkness.

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

 **AN: I hope you guys liked the chapter. It's coming up on christmas, and I have some free time from now until new years, so I hope to get atleast one more chapter up before end of the year.**

 **Hit me up if there are any questions or concerns with the story!**


	3. Trouble on the Horizon

**AN: I have a few notes to add before all of this.**

 **1) This chapter is more than twice the size of the regular size I'm going to go for in the future.**

 **2) This is a really rough draft that I have only read through once in my rush to get this out in time for christmas. Just let me know if you find any big issues that I should fix immediately, otherwise I plan to proof read it more and fix at the start of the new year.**

 **3) The Isabella of my story is becoming a lot different to what is in the original story. She is more deductive, and a little more brutal. I believe it is warranted, if this actually happened. That does not mean that she is a reliable source however. It's just her thoughts, not a one-hundred percent truth.**

 **With that out of the way, I hope you enjoy reading!**

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

 **Deadly Affection – Reimagined**

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of it's characters. I just make them do what I want.

 **Chapter 3: Trouble on the Horizon**

 **Bella PoV**

The light in the room was what woke me up. I felt like I had been run over. I looked at my phone to see the it was 10:37am. The notifications on the screen told me I had slept through all my normal alarms.

My muscles ached when I moved to get out of bed, and I groaned with effort, putting on some clean clothes. My usual jeans and a shirts being gone, I chose to go for a set of gray sweatpants and jacket. I heard my stomach announce loudly that it needed some food, just as I noticed how bloody hungry I felt.

After practically running downstairs to the kitchen, finding a note from Renèe that she would be back in time for our meeting with the principal, I yanked open the fridge. Thankfully we had a few of Phil's enchiladas left from the other day, and some pasta from yesterday left, and I happily dug in.

I don't know how long I sat there on the counter, or how much food I had actually eaten, but by the time all the leftovers were gone, I was nowhere near full. So I spent several minutes listening to my stomachs intermittent growling, waiting for the bloody toaster to finish my cheese sandwiches, and ate them too.

Still I was hungry, though it was bearable, and frankly I was afraid of what would happen if I ate more.

After getting my shoes, I walked out into the yard again, intent on finding out if I had only dreamt up last night. I could see the tracks from the other day, but there was a new set of tracks spread between them, a little further appart from the old ones, and slightly bigger patches of brown grass. On the other side of the fence there was a groove in the earth, maybe a couple of centimeters deep, which I would guess would have been from a jump over the fence.

I followed the path out into the bushes. It seemed to be following the same trail as last time, diverting only until a few meters from the large circle of dead plants, heading left and up towards the hill.

The patch I found was a little larger than the last time, maybe half a meter more in diameter or so, but the plants had all but disintegrated this time. Barely a stalk remained on the small plants, crumpled and grey. A tree was near the center of the circle here, but even though some of the branches poked outside the circular shape of dessication, all the leaves and bark were gone, leaving only a gnarled dead stump of what it used to be.

There was no strips of fabric on the ground this time, only a fine layer of dust that whirled around me with each step I took.

What the fuck was doing this? It wasn't a fire, that much was obvious. It was almost as if all the moisture had been sucked out of the plants in a small area, but how was that even possible.

I tried to lean on a branch on the tree, only for it to snap which nearly caused me to fall. It was a fairly hefty branch that I could not touch my fingers together when I held on to it, yet it snapped without much effort. And the wierdest part, it didn't look dried up on the inside.

I growled in frustration and confusion, closing my eyes and wracking my brain for answers. How could it look dried up, yet still hold water? Some form of rapid shrinking? That wouldn't explain why it looked dry on the outside. Gas? The wouldn't have caused it to be brittle all the way through. Heat would have caused damage to the outside first aswell.

I looked back up at the stump, and saw water dripping out of the hole left by the broken branch. A slow dribble of it leaking down the stump and into the dusty ground. A type of cellular breakdown maybe? Something that causes the membrane in the cells of the trees to rupture and therefor not being able to hold water in.

But then why wasn't the ground wet around all the plants? Perhaps a mix of heat and whatever caused the cellular breakdown, so the water had evaporated?

A shiver caused me to break out of my funk. I felt cold, even in the desert heat, surrounded by a weird lack of... something. But there was heat nearby, I could feel it. I turned to my right and saw a large cactus plant that was nearly two meteres tall. It felt like a small campfire, only not in a common fire sense of heat.

I walked over to it, facinated by the feeling, leaving the cold circle of decay behind. My surroundings felt a little hotter aswell, but not as much so as the large cactus in front of me. I needed it, the heat. My fingers was trembling as I reached out to it, a gentle caress in between my digits. I didn't feel any of the thorns bother me, even though I should have poked my hands on several.

I was startled by a sudden rush of heat in my palm, which felt like it was being held fast by the cactus. I gasped as I saw it shrinking and withering at an alaming rate, even as I felt the rush to my head. It felt very much like an adrenaline rush, and it caused my eyes to flutter.

My heart was beating out of my chest as I finally fell backwards onto my ass in the sand. My mind was hazy and thoughts were jumping around like a storm. The cactus was crumpling over to one side, a sickly mix of grey-white stuff oozing out of it all over. My hand no longer felt like it was on fire, yet it didn't feel the same. I formed a fist and was surprised by the amount of strength I felt in my fingers. My nails were digging into my palm, and as I opened my hand I could see tiny wounds, which disappeared a few moments later.

And then I screamed.

I ran back into the house, screaming like a madwoman all the way. The porch door was left ajar as I tumbled inside, somehow dislodging my shoes in the fall, and rolling into a crouch and kept running. I ran into my room and launched into my bed, hiding under the blankets in a fetal position.

It was me. I had been the one to leave the window open. I had somehow jumped out the window from the second floor and ran into the wild and caused the... whatever it was to the plants. I had even carefully pried away the tape on the windowsill, for whatever reason. Seriously, why would I do that and then not close the window again later?

In my jumbled mess of a mind, I could remember fragments of it. I could remember the impact after jumping out the window. I could remember vaulting over the fence, causing it to break and for me to almost fall, only for an unnatural reflex in me to correct my fall midair. I could see me drain the plants in a wide arc all at once.

I could even see my clothes tear off of my body as a red mist of some kind erupted from my body, that drained the life out of the nearby plants.

I was a freak. I was a plant-life-draining freak.

I snorted a laugh at the thought. This couldn't be real. I was just going fucking insane. Somehow what had happened with Justin and Dustin had caused my mind to snap, causing me to turn mad. But insane people didn't know they were insane. Did they?

A memory jumped out at me. The frog. I had felt a similar heat from it as I did from the plant just now. Only it was... different. Hotter, in a way.

So it probably wasn't just plants. Somehow, I could sometimes feel, and leech, the life out of living things.

That or I was certifiably insane with the added benefit of knowing just how fucking insane I was.

I jumped up when I heard the sound of the frontdoor colliding with the wall downstairs. Apparently mom was home, and it was almost time to go to the meeting at school.

''Honey, are you upstairs?'' Renèe yelled. Thank god she wasn't home to see me freak the fuck out earlier.

''Yeah, I'm in my room. Is it time to go?'' I yelled back to her, hoping we still had some time, so I could fix myself up abit. I probably looked like a mess right now.

''We got to leave in about 20 minutes dear. Hey, did you leave the porch door open?'' She sounded alarmed at the end there.

''Yeah I was out on the porch reading before you came back, guess I forgot to lock the door. Sorry!'' I tried to sound relaxed, even though I knew I sucked at lying.

I got out of bed, trying to touch as few things as possible. I didn't have a grip on whatever it was I could do yet, so it was better safe than sorry. I didn't know what would cause me to drain stuff, but I guessed I would be a little forewarned with the whole weird heat sensation thingy.

I still felt a little pissed about ruining my own clothes.

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

As we were driving up to the school parking lot, I was thinking about what it would entail, these... powers... of mine. I didn't know if I was a danger to the people around me. I was afraid that I might kill someone if I touched them in that... state.

I had tried quickly on my own potted cactus in my room before I had a shower, and I didn't drain it then, so it seemed safe to touch things whenever whatever it was wasn't... powered up, so to say.

So to to say I was a little jumpy was a bit of an understatement.

The clock outside Mrs. Lopez's office gave off a mechanical 'click' as the minute hand turned to ten past two. The meeting was supposed to start at two o'clock, so something was holding her up. I was getting really nervous, sitting here waiting for the verdict.

As I was thinking through how I got here, I had a bit of a revelation. It probably had something to do with my... wierdness, how I was able to block and drop Justin so easily. Probably even how I pushed Dustin so hard. It was unnerving that it had happened without meaning to do it however.

What if I drained somebody that I didn't mean to? That was a scary thought, and something I hadn't actually considered yet. I looked over at my mom, who was looking down at the floor infront of her. She was usually a very touchy-feely person. What if I did it to her one morning? I balked at the thought.

The sound of the handle turning drew my attention, as Nina opened the door to her office and looked at us.

''Please come in.'' Her voice was quiet, and with the lines on her forhead, told me of her exhaustion. I guess getting a pass twice in a row was out of the question.

We quietly sat down in the two chairs placed infront of her desk, no one saying a word, as she closed the door and sat down in her own chair.

''Hi Nina. Long time no see.'' Renèe said quietly. The atmosphere in the room was laden with the gravity of the situation, and we could all feel it.

'' Hello Renèe. It has been way too long. I had hoped we could meet again under better circumstances.'' Nina replied in the same quiet tone. She drew a deep breath and exhaled quickly. I could tell she wanted this to be over quickly.

''I'll get right down to it. Justin is in the hospital with a punctured lung and several rib fractures, along with a concussion.'' Mom drew a breath sharply. I guess she hadn't gotten any specifics before now. I hadn't either, but I knew he was in a really bad shape.

''His mother is on the school board, and is breathing down my neck to have you expelled. While we all heard from Dustin what went down, and that Justin threw the first punch, she claims you must have kicked him while he was down to cause the damage he sustained. And frankly, even if what Dustin said about you only punching him once with, and I quote, 'the wrath of God', the fact is that you could have killed him.'' Her tone was grave, and I could feel a pang of fearrip through me.

Like ice down my spine, I could feel the power in me spread. The heat coming off of my mother and Nina was so much hotter than what I had felt before. I bowed my head down and grit my teeth, grabbing the armrests hard enough for my knuckles to turn white. _Calm. Down._ I repeated it internally like a mantra.

''Baby?'' Mom asked and I could hear the worry in her voice. And even though I was looking down in my lap, it was as if I could _see_ her hand stretching out to touch my shoulder. I jerked away rapidly, causing the chair to screech against the stony floor as I jumped up and walked over to the glass wall, looking outside at the school grounds.

''Bella?'' My mom asked again quietly. I could _see_ her hand reaching out to me as she was halfway out of her own chair. I held a hand out behind my back, trying to convey that I needed some time to cool down.

I could see my eyes burning red in my reflection in the window, another giveaway that I was a fucking freak. I would have to be careful with that in the future.

''Surely you can see how upset about this she is? She didn't mean for him to get hurt. And that brat has been hounding her the last couple of days, does that not matter to you?'' Renèe asked a little harshly. I could feel the principal nodding.

''Yes of course it matters. I know that Isabella isn't normally a violent student, on the contrary. She is one of the best students we have. And Justin is on the opposite edge of the scale in that regard. That is why I have been trying so hard to talk the board down from taking any immediate action.'' Nina sounded dejected, possibly even a little sad, and I felt for her.

I had made her life so hard in the last few days, and it made me hurt inside hearing that she had defended me as much as she could. I felt the pressure of tears threatening to build up as I looked back in my reflection. Chocolate brown again, thankfully.

With a sigh, I turned back around to them and sat quietly back in the chair, after pushing it back to where I was seated earlier. I could feel the lacquer on the armrests were gone in my palms, leaving the rough wooden surface.

''I'm so sorry for causing you all this grief Mrs. Lopez. Thanks for sticking up for me.'' I told her earnestly, almost willing my gratitude into my words. My moms hand grabbed my shoulder in support, and I smiled back at her.

A thought struck me. Forks. It could potentially solve so many problems.

''Do you think the board could be convinced to let me transfer to another school? Without it going on my record that I was expelled, I mean.'' I asked hopefully, turning to my mother as her hand fell of my shoulder.

''What?!'' Mom's voice was high-pitched as I could see the panic set in.

''Mom, calm down.'' I gave her a pointed look, directing her to breathe deeply with me a couple of times. Only confusion remained on her features.

''What if I went to live with dad, and finished highschool in Forks? That way you and Phil can have the house to yourself, and you wouldn't have to stay home with me when he has to go out of state for try-outs. And the school board would hopefully let me keep my record clean.'' I figured it best not to add the fact that I would have a somewhat safer habitat to find out how to control whateverthefuck was wrong with me.

I could see the two sides of her warring with which option she wanted to go for. On one hand, letting her baby girl leave the nest, and on the other, the joy of new love without a third wheel.

''So do you think that's possible Mrs. Lopez?'' I asked again, turning to Nina. She looked thoughtful as she looked over to the side, before slowly nodding her head.

''I think I could find a way to convince them to let that part go. Unfortunately I can't stop the fact that you attacked a student from getting on your school record. It was specified that it was in self defence, but I couldn't stop that from happening.'' Nina sounded somewhat upset about the fact, which made me like her more. It would seem I had misjudged how close she and mom had been once, for her to defend me so fiercely. That or Nina Lopez was just a very loyal friend.

''Are you sure honey? I thought you hated Forks?'' Mom piped up. I could tell she felt guilty for entertaining the thought of sending me away for selfish reasons. And I loved my mom for placing me infront of her happiness, even though that made me feel guilty for the same reason.

I turned back to Renèe with the best smile I could muster. ''Yeah, I think the clean air could do me some good, mom. And I bet Charlie would be extremely happy to have me back for a few years.'' I could see the softening of her face as she accepted my words.

''Perhaps you want to make the arrangements before I put anything into writing first?'' Nina asked, and mom nodded her head in confirmation.

''Yeah, I think that would be best. Could I call you in a few hours maybe? That way we would have some time to talk through the specifics of how we do this.'' Renèe answered hopefully, probably knowing that would be an inconvenience for Nina.

''That is okay with me. I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help to you Isabella, Renèe. Just give me a call later tonight, and I can fix the paperwork tomorrow.'' Her tone was curteous, but somehow defeated, as she stood up and stretched out her hand to shake. I hesitated for a fraction of a second, making sure I wouldn't hurt her, but there was no feeling of warmth so it felt safe.

Mom, true to herself, went around the table and hugged her instead, which Nina didn't seem to have any issue with, returning the hug just as fiercely. I knew I had to get her to tell me the story there sometime, but now was not it.

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

The ride back from school was completely silent. I could see mom biting her lip as she drove, a telltale sign she was thinking hard. That and she nearly ran a red light twice.

I was trying to figure out how to tell Audrey goodbye, and if I could do it in a way that would let her move on from the crush I believed she had on me. That and how the hell I would find the money to get a wardrobe warm enough to survive march up in washington.

I felt nervous about the whole thing now. Would Charlie let me stay with him full time? I mean, that was a lot of pressure to just put on him all of a sudden. He used to love it back when I would visit him a few weeks every summer, but this would be so much more... permanent.

And I would be the new girl in school, in the middle of the semester. I didn't really know how many people lived in Forks, but I knew it wasn't a lot. It was actually probably less people in total in Forks, than there were here in my school. So the friend groups would probably be well set up, and I would be the girl from the big city. I really didn't need that added sort of attention along side my other wierdness. I would atleast have to get some dark glasses.

As we drove up to the house and parked, we sat in the car for a few seconds, none of us moving to open the door. Mom turned off the ignition and turned towards me.

''I think you should be the one to call Charlie and ask if it's okay with him for you to come live with him.'' Mom said quietly, and I rolled my eyes and smiled. I knew she and dad had a strained relationship because of how she walked out on him when I was younger. And I figured she would probably let slip how she was so happy with Phil, which could cause Charlie to get upset and possibly turn everything real messy.

I loved that she was able to reflect on that and was still true to herself. I don't think Renèe could tell a lie to save her life frankly, but that was great. And even though she knew it should be her asking, she didn't want to cause additional problems, so she asked me to do it.

''Yeah sure, I could do that. Should I tell him you said hi?'' I replied after the brief pause. I could see the chagrin from having to ask me to do this, but she nodded all the same.

''Yes do that, but probably don't mention this.'' She answered, holding up her hand and wiggling her new ring. Yeah that would probably cause some problems, better to let that part wait.

With the conversation at an end, we both stepped out and walked into the house, which I would probably no longer be staying in for a while. I greeted Phil in the kitchen before heading up to my room before their snugglefest started. Jumping up on the bed I got my phone charger and plugged it in. It had alerted me I had less than 10 percent power left while we drove home.

I hopped off to the side of the bed and sat on the edge, trying to collect my thoughts for a moment. Everything had happened so fast the last few days. It was barely wednesday and I had been in two altercations and was basically getting expelled after two days. I did not see this coming when I went to bed sunday.

Lamenting the fact that I would in the best case scenario for the future now, have to contend with sub freezing temperatures shortly, I let out a sigh. I wasn't too sad that I would be leaving my friends here so much, seeing as there was actually only one I would probably miss. And with how our outlooks on what that friendship meant was different, it would probably come to an end soon anyway, one way or another. I really should meet up with her and talk to her in person later, but first I had to call Charlie.

Delaying the akward call for a little while longer, I went into the bathroom and stripped down to take a shower. The massage option along with the heat was slowly working my tense neck and shoulders down. All too soon the water started getting colder, and I quickly turned it off, wrapping myself in a towel and sitting down on the toilet.

Heat was really sort of my thing. I hated being cold so very much, yet I would doom myself to Forks and the cold there, rather than risk hurting my mom or Phil. Not that I wasn't afraid I could hurt my dad, but atleast he wasn't all touchy-feely like mom was. That was one of the best things about Charlie, He doesn't hover, and he respects personal space. It would suck to have to share a bathroom in the mornings though.

I leaned forwards and placed my face in my hands, cursing myself for whatever reason this whole shit had started. It would be safer to move to Forks, more isolated and probably easier to learn to control whatever I could do without people knowing. But I didn't know what I had done to deserve this kind of bullshit.

Minutes went by of me stewing in my misery, and the familiar smell of the shampoo I had used waned. _What's done is done, deal with it_ I thought to myself, getting up and looking at my reflection in the mirror. _Do the best with the hand you're dealt._ I huffed to myself, before getting the hairdryer and fixing my hair.

Not bothering with changing into new clothes, not that I had done anything other than the one meeting earlier anyway, I went back into my room. Picking my phone and disconnecting the charger, I went to sit at my workdesk, finding dads number in my contactlist. It had been a long time since I saw him. Last time was back at the end of summer, when he had come down to Phoenix to spend a week here with us. And he hadn't been in the best mood, seeing Phil for the first time, and how happy mom had been.

Sighing, I pressed call and put the phone up to my ear. The dial tone beeped a few times, and a small part of me almost hoped he wouldn't pick up, but that hoped was quickly crushed.

''Hey Bells! How are you doing?'' The gruff voice of my dad called out. I could hear the echo of the handsfree in his car, telling me he was still on duty.

''Hi dad! I'm good thanks, how about you? Do you have a minute?'' I responded, trying to keep my voice calm. I had not expected I would feel so much emotion, but at that moment I really wanted him here.

''I've always got time for you Bells, whenever you need me. What's the matter?'' His voice perked up. It seems I didn't hide it as well as I had hoped.

I laughed to myself a bit. He was a good cop after all, shouldn't have expected less. ''Well... I don't really know how to start.'' I could practically hear the frown on his face.

''Just say it straight Bells, your old man can take it.'' He replied softly. The dad part of him coming to the forefront.

''I sort of need to ask for sanctuary, I guess.'' I said tentatively. I knew it was irrational of me to expect him to say no, but some part of me was still worried.

''Sanctuary? You mean, come live here? With me?Why?'' His voice betrayed hope, worry and suspicion. Maybe even some indignation. It made me wonder what was going through his head.

''I got into some trouble, and kind of need to change school. So I kinda hoped I could come live with you and finish high school up in Forks.'' Uncertainty didn't feel good right now, so I needed him to confirm it.

''Of course Isabella, I would love to have you come live with me. But what happened? Did you get into trouble with the law? Harboring a fugitive might get me into trouble you know.'' I sighed in relief. He only used my real first name when he was serious. And the joke helped ease the tension.

''Well I did send this one kid to the hospital.'' I tried to joke back, but I heard him shift in his seat. He probably didn't find that funny.

''How did that happen? Are you facing charges?'' Dad was in cop mode again, but atleast he didn't sound angry, only worried.

''I doubt he would try it. He threw the first punch. So I hit him in the ribs, even broke a few. I'm sorry.'' I replied sheepishly, hoping he wouldn't be mad. The guffaw on the other end told me otherwise. ''The problem is that his mom is on the school's board, and she's pushing hard to have me expelled.''

''What!'' He barked in anger. ''How can they do that? That's horseshit!'' I felt happy somehow that he felt angry on my behalf. Justified in some way. And embarrased, because I hadn't told him the whole story.

''He kinda ended up with a punctured lung, and a concussion.'' I told him meekly.

''Ohh.'' there was a silence between us for a few seconds. ''Didn't know you had it in you kid. Serves him right though, he shouldn't have tried to punch you.'' He sounded really proud of the fact, and it annoyed me how flippant he was about this.

''I could have killed him dad!'' I reply with a little anger, then worry about my reaction to that fact in the principals office earlier. I almost dropped the phone, but there was no surge of power in me now.

''Yeah, well maybe this would teach him not to mess with girls in the future. It may have saved some grief for him in the future even. And he's not in any immediate danger, people live through worse than that.'' Charlie was dismissive about the possibility that it could also make him act worse in the future. But that wasn't up to either of us.

''So when were you thinking of coming up here? A couple of weeks?'' He continued, sounding cheery.

''Well, they really wanted to expell me right away. Thankfully the principal is on our side in this, and she's trying to get them to drop the expulsion part if I transfer to another school. But it would probably have to be quick, as in this week.'' I surmised. Nina didn't specify anything, but I figured the sooner the better in the eyes of Justin's mother.

''That soon. Wow. Well, I would have to clean up your room and get some new stuff for you, but I think we could manage it.'' He sounded a little surprised, but otherwise happy about it.

''I would have to run it by Renèe first. She will probably freak out first before I can convince her. She told me to say hi by the way.'' I joke, trying to lighten the mood further. I almost felt cheery myself.

''Uhm yeah. Tell her I said hi back.'' Dad was back to awkward again at the mention of my mom. He had never quite gotten over her.

''I'll call you after I've talked to her. Love you dad!'' I heard him swallow loudly, and it made me smile.

''Love you too Bells! Later then.'' And with a click, it was over.

I dropped my hands into my lap, grabbing onto the phone. It lit up, showing me that the clock was just 5:40pm and I was already exhausted. I felt really happy, and a little sad. I don't think I realised how much I had missed my dad until I heard his voice again. I felt guilty about the fact that I had been such a brat the last few years, getting him to come down to us instead of visiting him during the summer. Atleast I had the possibility to make up for lost time now.

The worried know that had settled in my stomach earlier had vanished, to which I was really thankful. I got up and walked downstairs to find mom and Phil embracing on the couch. I cleared my throat to alert them to my presence, and they quickly got up. Renèe's eyes were red and puffy, a clear sign that she had been crying. And Phil's shirt was smudged with mascara. I wanted to hug her and tell her everything would be alright, but I stopped myself. I still wasn't sure of what triggered the... episodes.

I quickly walked over to sit down in the recliner, and they sat down again in the couch, facing me.

''So Charlie was fine with me moving in with him.'' I started out, not really knowing where to go from there. I could see that mom was about to start crying again, so I tried to hold that off. ''Hey, mom. This is going to be alright. This is the best option we have right now.'' I placed my right hand on her shoulder and gripped on softly.

''Or we could... I don't know... move to Jacksonville. Phil's in talks about getting a premanent gig there...'' She was grasping at straws, and I could see Phil's disapproving smile at the idea. It would have been reckless to move everything when they didn't have a steady job ready for them.

''Mom.'' I said, getting her to focus on me. ''I want this. I get to make up for lost time with dad. And I might even make some new friends.'' I could see she was coming around to it. ''I wouldn't even have to worry about getting sunburns anymore.'' I joke with a smile, and she grins even though she is sad.

''Ohh baby... I'm gonna miss you something terrible!'' Tears errupt as she gives into the fact that this was happening. She snakes forwards in a crouch and grabs me in a hug, bawling into my shoulder. I just held onto her.

After some time, she finally let go and sat back down in the sofa. Phil gently placed his arm around mom's shoulders, pulling her into him.

''So I only got small snippets of; Shitkid, hospital, expelled and Forks from your mom earlier, care to tell me the deets?'' Phil asked, and mom had the courtesy to looked abashed.

''Well, this kid in school, Justin, asked me out twice on monday, which I rejected.'' I started, only for him to interrupt.

''The kid you pushed over in class the other day?'' He sounded exited, which made me smile. Phil was really a kid at heart, same as my mom.

''Umm no, that was Dustin, his friend. So anyway, after I rejected him twice and hurt his friend, he seemed to take that as an affront to him. So they confronted me yesterday in the library at lunch. Justin was being a complete ass so I might have said something that pissed him off.'' I felt a mix of pride and embarrasment, retelling it like it was some sort of epic showdown.

''And he tried to punch me in the face, but I blocked it, and punched him in the ribs. Ended up in the hospital with a punctured lung and a concussion.'' I couldn't help but grin at his awed expression.

''Wicked! Up top!'' He said loudly, putting his right hand forward for a high five, which I clapped with glee. His face turned to confusion, and I could tell what he was about to ask.

''Justin's mom is on the school board. She's pushing quite hard to have me expelled.'' His brows furrow in anger.

''Wow that's such bullshit. He threw the first punch, so that was self defence.'' Phil stated with a bite to his words.

''That's what I said!'' Mom piped up from the crook of his neck. He gripped her tighter, leaning back into the sofa.

''Yeah I know. But that's how the world works, I guess.'' I sighed, slumping down into the recliner in defeat.

''So when do you go?'' Phil asked quietly, as if trying not to disrupt the somber mood.

''That's the big question right now. From how I understood it with Nina, I don't think I should go to school tomorrow. Or ever again, for that matter. Dad was fine with me coming whenever, but I don't know how fast I could start school again up in Forks. Maybe you should ask Nina?'' looking my mom in the eyes, I saw her sigh and look off to the side.

''Yeah I should probably give her a call.'' She responded quietly. I figured this was as good a time as any.

''Mom, would it be okay for me to ditch lockdown to say goodbye to Audrey?'' I was technically still grounded, but I figured she would be okay with this considering the circumstances.

''Sure hon. That would give me some time to talk to your principal. Just don't stay out for too long, 'kay?'' It didn't sound like she even wanted to make the call, but I knew if she waited too long, Phil would prod her to action.

''Sure thing mom, I just need to get ahold of her first.'' I replied, getting up from the recliner and moving to walk back up to my room. I heard mom shuffle in the couch, before muffled crying. I turned back to see her holding onto Phil, crying into his chest. He looked up to me and just nodded, to which I turned and continued walking.

As I sat down on my bed I tried to figure out what to say to Audrey. I knew she was mad at me. I had learned that she got really upset when someone did something reckless early on, but she had never told me why. And then I had gone and done made it worse. Now she was probably beyond pissed.

I opened my phone, opting to send her a message first, seeing as she ignored my call last time. _Hey A. I'm sorry about being stupid and reckless. I really need to talk to you, so could you call me when you get the chance? -B._

Hitting send, I flopped down on the foot of my bed, looking up at the roof. It seemed the familiar lines and cracks wouldn't remain unchanged for long. My gaze flowed over to the window near the corner of my room. Knowing it was me that had left it open answered some questions, but left me with more. Did I have to jump out and... drain a bunch of plants every night?

Was there a way to not do that, if I perhaps drained some plants before going to bed? And if I couldn't stop the nightly outings, could I atleast stop destroying my clothes? Well that last one was simple really, I could just start sleeping in the buff.

My phone ringing beside me drew me out of my thoughts. Caller ID said Audrey, so either she wasn't as mad as I had expected, or she knew some of what was going on.

''Hey A.'' I answered quietly, waiting with a baited breath for her reaction.

''Hey there B.'' Was her quiet response. I figured she must have heard about my would-be expulsion.

''Can we meet down at the swingset? I need to talk to you face to face.''I tried not to sound desperate, as to put any pressure on her. She needed to some see me on her own terms, if she came because I forced her, I knew it would turn out bad.

''Did you really put Justin in the hospital?'' Was her hurried response, marred with worry.

''Yeah... I didn't mean to hurt him. I only intended to knock the wind out of him, so I could get away. I don't really know my own strength I guess.'' I tried to laugh it away, but I couldn't really hide my sadness. Not sadness that I had put Justin in the hospital, just the part about what this would mean for the both of us.

''Ohh... Okay. Meet you there in ten?'' Audrey sounded sad but hopeful, and it nearly broke me to hear it. It would be better to get it all out face to face. To do it over the phone would suck.

''See you in ten.'' I replied, before quickly hitting the end call button. A tear rolled down my chin, joined by more shortly. I let the tears fall freely, finally letting go of the anguish I had bottled up through the day. Tears for my mom's sorrow. For the injustice of this all. For the love and trust they showed me, mom and dad both.

I grabbed my pillow and screamed for the injustice for what I had to do to Audrey. How I had to give her a clean break. Break her heart. The sobs wracking my body shook the bed, but I refused to let either of them downstairs hear me.

The fucking injustice of it all. Why me?! Why did this have to happen to me?! Why. Me.

Anger. A burning anger bloomed in me, unlike any I had felt before.

It felt like a fire deep in my chest, threatening to scorch me from the inside out.

A flicker of red caught my attention. My phone. It looked like it glowed red. But it was only a reflection.

Looking down on my arms, I could see them glowing a crimson red color. Like a red mist that enveloped my body, spreading quickly down my chest. I could see the tears opening in my clothes as they spread. My shirt was already shredded.

I jumped off my bed and was alarmed when I jumped further than I had intended, and felt heavier as I landed near the window. The floorboards groaned beneath me from the additional weight I had somehow gained. I quickly used my right foot to open the window before all of me was wreathed in crimson mist.

Jumping out headfirst, it felt like a simple maneuver I had done a hundred times before, as I flipped over mid air and effortlessly landed in a crouch. Thanking, whatever divine shit was having a giggle at my expense, for the fact that my bedroom window wasn't on the same side of the house as the living room, I ran into the shrubbery.

The steps were easy, my unnatural strength keeping up with my added weight to propel my momentum forwards. The breeze of the wind wipping past my frame as I hauled ass into a crevice near the hills felt great.

All my clothes were gone now, yet I didn't feel any colder. I was cushioned on the mist-like energy flowing over my skin. Taking a second to look, it looked like it had coalesced into a second, translucent skin over my own. It was maybe a few milimeters thick, at most, and covered my entire body, even the soles of my feet. I stepped to the side in the sand a few steps, watching as the sand slowly eroded into even finer sand.

And the earth and plants around me felt like small lights around me. I felt like I could feel everything. Spiders in the rocks that were hiding me. Small crickets hiding amongst the shrubs and grass. A few birds in trees further up the hill, a nest with eggs beneath one of them. A snake hiding in a small alcove. But there was a limit. I could only _see_ the lights in a small area around me. Maybe a couple of dozen meters.

The loud beating of my heart drew me out of my revelry, and drew my attention back on the burning anger emanating from my chest. I howled into the sky, trying to force my anger out, but it only served to spread the fire out into my extremities.

Small flecks of black spread across the crimson in erratic patterns, and I felt my mind cloud over in anger. The darkness burned my skin beneath the second skin, before it cooled again when it moved along.

Pain and anger. It was all I felt for several seconds, until more red mist erupted from every pore in my body. I had shut my eyes, yet I could _see_ it leaking out of me, spreading around me, seeping into the ground and plants nearby. I felt it as I stole the light of every plant and living being in the surrounding area, sucking it into my being, before creating more mist and spreading further out.

It felt like minutes of repeating cycles. Stealing the energy, creating more mist, and stealing more energy further away. Somewhere along the line the pain and anger had stopped. Eventually I felt... full.

The feeling of falling brought me back out of my daze. I didn't know how long I had been standing there before I started loosing my balance. It didn't even feel like it was actually me that had made the effort to move my leg to stop myself from falling.

I looked around me and gaped at the destruction. Plants more than what I guessed was twenty meters away was nothing more than husks of their former selves. All the grass was completely gone. Barely a stalk was left of small shrubs. Even the sand beneath my feet was ground into a fine dust. The walls of the small crevice around me were greyed out and looked like it had started crumbling.

The squawks of a bird in the direction I had felt them earlier drew my attention. I saw the brown, grey and white coat of what I recognized to be a cactus wren. It jumped on top of the cactus that held its nest just outside the area of destruction I had left. Following it's line of sight as it jumped and screached, I saw what the commotion was about.

I fell to my knees in shock when I saw the small bird lying belly up. It's little feathers had started falling out of its shriveled body, just inside the edge of the circle. The surviving wren flew down to investigate, chirping a shrill tune as it looked upon its partner. Jumping short stocky jumps, schreaching all the way to the dead bird, it tried to push on it. One tap at first, then more insistently as its chirps increased in volume.

I started bawling there in the dust and dirt, feeling the guilt crashing through me. I hoped no one was close enough to hear, but frankly I didn't care as I let out a wail of despair into the cooling desert air. I crumpled completely down into the remains of the sand around me, bawling like a child. Inbetween sobs a part of my brain recognized the oddity that I wasn't feeling the irritation of the dust I was kicking up around me in either eyes, nose or mouth.

My hands had started to sink into the ground by the time I stopped crying. There was no birdcry nearby. Or any other noise for that matter. I started to worry that I had lost my hearing until I heard a car driving on the road in the distance. Looking back up to the corpse of the bird I had killed, the living bird was gone. I could feel it, back in its nest, lying atop it's eggs. In the back of my mind I felt the question linger.

Would it be better to kill them all? Or could it survive on it's own?

It made me want to be sick, even thinking the thought.

Staring at the dead bird in front of me, I made a vow to myself. I would _never_ give into that anger again. I wasn't naive enough to believe that I would never kill again. But I would atleast never do so in blind anger. I would rather let the weight of taking a life crush my soul, than do it out of blind anger.

I still felt the power coursing through my body, even though the red glow had evaporated. It was wierd. I felt... refreshed in a way. Charged up. I must be something of an energy vampire or something. Even the thought made me want to laugh, but that thought was quickly crushed.

Getting up, I started making my way back to my house, leaving the destruction I had caused in the past. As I got closer to the house I found the trail of ruined clothes that had been left in my hurry to leave. I picked up the biggest pieces I found, leaving the smaller ones to be blown away by the wind before the sun came back up.

I could _see_ that mom was still in the living room, holding something infront of her. From the way her hand closed to her face, and her head tilting back, I figured it was a drink. Probably wine, to take a little of the edge off.

Phil was in the kitchen however, and the kitchen had a window on the same wall of the house as my room. Being careful to not be spotted by him or any neighbors or passerbyes, I picked up the last scraps of cloth on the lawn. It wasn't before I looked up at the window and down on the cloth in my hands I figured out my problem. How could I get up there with all this shit in my hands.

Reaching out to see that the coast was clear I took a few steps out onto the lawn and placed it in one of the brown patches of grass. When it was all in one neat little pile I tried to... drain... it. Frustration was all that got me. And to look really stupid, waving my hands around like I was trying to cast some kind of spell.

A possible cause of issue came to me a little later than I would have liked. There was no heat coming from the pile. It was dead. There was no energy for me to steal. So instead I tried to tap into anger, chanting _destroy_ to myself under my breath. Slowly the red mist flowed out of my hands, starting at my palms, before covering them just up to my wrists.

I put my hands down on the pile and could hear what sounded like tearing barely audible. It didn't take long before my hands touched the brown grass, which also ended up being shredded, so I pulled my hands back and stopped chanting, willing the mist away.

It died away almost immediatly, and I inspected my handiwork. There was barely any noticible specs of fabric left, but what worried me more was that I had left a patch where there was no actual grass at all. That would be harder to explain if anyone asked.

I turned back around, checking Phil's position again. He was hovering over Renèe's shoulder in the living room, so the coast was clear. Taking a few steps back to get a bit of a run up, I started to worry about the height of my window. I didn't actually know if the 'sleepdraining' me had actually used the window to get back in after my escapades. Nor did I know if I could judge the amount of strength needed correctly so as not to overshoot it and crash into the wall.

That could possibly even be worse, and maybe even cause my mom to come up and check my room. Which was full of shredded clothes and an open window. That and me possibly hanging from said window buck naked would be kind of hard to explain.

So I walked back to the wall and crouched down near where the imprints of my landings were left in the grass. Tensing my leg muscles I tried to feel the extra strength out. To visualize it in my mind, coiled like a snake, waiting to strike. And then I leapt off of the ground straight up, aiming for my window.

I was a little short however, and I reached my hands out to grab the windowsill. I barely caught it with the edge of my fingers. Using the tips of my toes, I silenced the impact of the rest of my body hitting the wall. It felt surprisingly easy to pull myself up and into my room, before I flopped down on the floor, careful not to cause any noise. One issue dealt with.

The sharp _pling!_ Of my phone's message alert almost caused me to jump off of the floor in fright. Standing up I walked over to my bed and looked at it. It was Audrey. _'Where the hell are you?'_ Shit. I could tell from the time that I should have met up with her almost fifteen minutes ago. I quickly typed a reply.

 _'Sorry! Mom started grilling me after I called you. I'm on my way!'_ It was a lie, but it wasn't as if I could tell her what had actually happened. Besides, what was this compared to what lay ahead. I could almost taste the bile in the back of my throat from just thinking about it.

Gathering the last pair of jeans and tee I had that was clean, I stalked out an into the bathroom, determined to take a quick shower to get the dust and sand out of unmentionable places.

As soon as that was done I got my phone and headed back down the stairs. The smell of lasagna hit my nose before I rounded the corner into the living room.

''Mhhm that smells nice.'' I say to announce my presence, in case they hadn't noticed. Mom just looks at me with half a smile, nursing a half-empty wineglass in her hands.

''Dinner's in thirty'' Phil replied quietly from behind her. He was resting his head atop of hers. My stomach rumbled loudly, which caused me to blush. I felt really damn hungry again, but I really couldn't delay.

''Nice. I just gotta go out quick to meet Audrey, I'll be back in time for dinner.'' I answered cheerfully, trying to put on a brave face for mom's sake.

I opted to use my bike to save some time in getting there, and it only took a minute before I could see her sitting on the swings alone. Her shoulders were slumped as she was pivoting on the edge of her shoes.

''Hey A.'' I said softly when I put my bike down in the grass, sitting down on the swing next to hers. She doesn't respond at first. She doesn't even seem to notice my presence, she just continues to pivot back and forth. Her hair is covering up her face, but I could smell her tears. She had been crying.

''Hey there B.'' Audrey finally said after a long silence. There was no flicker of hope left in her voice that I had heard on the phone. I gripped the chainlink holding the swing so hard it felt like it was bending in my fist.

''So you're getting expelled.'' It didn't sound like a question, so I opted not to respond. It felt like she needed some time to collect her thoughts. ''That means you're probably moving.'' Again, it didn't feel like a question. She probably had the time to figure out why I had called her here in the time I had let her wait for me.

''You know, don't you?'' She didn't have to specify what. I could tell what she meant as soon as she looked up at me. Tears were still falling from her eyes.

''Yes.'' I respond quietly. More tears burst forth at my admission and her mouth opens and closes. She didn't trust her voice to ask. ''I've known for a while.'' Her eyes close in pain and she leans her head down, tears falling into the grass. Her entire body shakes as she sobs quietly. It seemed like she had come to the conclusion before I got her, but hearing it crushed her all over again.

''I'm sorry. I'm sorry for being a shitty friend. I'm sorry for using you, and not acknowledging your feelings.'' I start to rant, tears starting to form in my eyes aswell. She only sobs louder. It masks the sound of the chainlink in my hands groaning from the pressure.

The silence between us grew, and my eyes dried up, having already mourned this loss beforehand. I place a hand on her back and rub circles, trying to soothe her. It feels like it's working somehow, as her sobs quiet down slowly.

''I'm not actually getting expelled.'' I explain quietly, trying desperatly to fill the silence. ''The principal agreed to letting me just transfer to a new school.'' I could tell what she wanted to ask as she sniffed, using her hand to rub away all the tears and snot running down her face.

''I'm going to live with my dad up in Forks, to finish school there.'' She snorted a laugh, looking back up at me.

''I thought you told me you hated Forks.'' Her tone wasn't bitter, just sad. I had to laugh in return. I remembered telling her as much, back when I first told her of the summers I used to spend there.

''Yeah, but I used to think I hated violence too, so. Guess I was wrong.'' Her guffaw made me feel a bit better. It seemed like she had come to terms with the fact that we wouldn't be an item. The weight fell of my shoulders like bricks, and I could suddenly feel how very hungry I was. Which was again announced to the world in the form of obnoxious growling that Audrey thankfully ignored.

''Will you keep in touch?'' The hope was back in her voice as she muttered the words. And I didn't have it in me to burn down the friendship we had completely. Hopefully she could get over me in my absence.

''Of course! I need to know when to run any potential girlfriends of yours through my vetting program!'' I jest, trying to lift her spirits further. I hoped it wasn't cruel of me to do hold on to this friendship. I hoped it had the desired effect as Audrey started full-on laughing, pivoting back and forth again. It stopped far too quickly however, and a quiet silence set in again.

''It's not just because you are moving is it?'' She looks away from me, opting to stare intently on my bike behind me instead. I understood the context of the question perfectly. She was unsure of herself. Part of me wanted to laugh at her folly.

''No. A relationship could end in disaster with a single misspoken word. And I don't think I could have stayed sane in the little asylum of a school we go to... Went to... Without you as my confidante.'' I grabbed her hand in mine mid-speech, to help convey my sincerety. All I get is a half-smile. I could still see her doubting herself.

''Hey.'' I said, grabbing her hand a little tighter, to get her to look at me. ''You are absolutely panty-dropping gorgeous, so don't you go feeding that doubtmonster none!'' She lookes at me abashed, possibly even a little shocked at my outburst.

''I mean it, A. If it wasn't for the fact that I was a selfish, asocial cunt, I would have been on my knees for you within a month.'' It wasn't like I was lying either. Audrey was a gorgeous example of the female sex. I almost wanted to kick myself for what I had just said, fearing I might have reignited her hopes.

''Well then laddie, I guess I better be off to find more helpless maidens to abscond with.'' Audrey said in a posh english accent, jesting with her arms. Relief spread through me that she hadn't taken it the wrong way. 

And then my stomach had to go and announce it's displeasure with my neglect of it's needs. Again. Audrey straight up laughed this time.

''Sounds like you need to get some food in that rusted blowhorn.'' She joked, pointing at my stomach. I laugh a little in return.

''Yeah. Dinner's just around the corner though, thankfully.'' The mood turns somber again. ''So are we good then? Do you forgive me for being a shitty friend?'' I don't quite manage to keep my own desperation in check. Hope that I might get to keep alittle of the friendship we had left.

She stands up from the swing and turn to me fully, and I do the same. My entire body feels really weak now though. I guess it's something that comes shortly after I've drained stuff. Like some stupid supernatural need to sleep after 'dinner' so to say.

Audrey embraces me, hugging me tight, and I find my own hands gripping her back in turn.

''Of course I forgive you, dummy.'' She mumbles into my shoulder, letting her head rest there for a minute. ''Do you know when you'll be leaving?''

''Probably before the weekend, maybe start of next week at best. I probably won't be back at school before I leave.'' I respond, and I can feel her gripping me tighter.

''Fuck, that's harsh. I guess this is probably goodbye then.'' I can feel the pressure in my eyes, but I have no more tears to shed. I just clutch onto her tighter.

''I guess it is. I'm going to miss you Audrey.'' I squeak out, before the knot in my throat stops my voice completely.

''I'm going to miss you too Isabella.'' I could feel her tears on my shoulder.

The hug lasts for a while, but it isn't any shorter than it had the right to be. I wait for her to let go first, seeing as she was the one currently crying. And as she release me I see the half-smile of one of her eureka moments.

''You had planned to crush my heart here, didn't you.'' The chagrin was probably visible on my face.

''I feared I would have to, to give you a clean break.'' Her hand cups the side of my face. ''But then you go being more awesome than you have any right to be. Like usual.'' Her beautiful smile lights her entire tear-smudged face up.

''You know me, babe. I aim to please.'' Her eyes glance off to the side. I could tell she still wished things had gone differently, but was resigned to the fact at hand. Her hand drops down from my face as she takes a couple of steps backwards.

''Call me when you get to Forks.'' She sounded tired at this point, which I could understand.

''Sure thing A. Bye.'' I leaned down and grabbed the handlebar of my bike, pulling it up with me.

''Bye B.'' And with that Audrey turns around and starts walking home. That was probably the last time I would see her face in a long while.

I turned back around and put one leg over the frame on my bike when I saw someone walking towards me. Lit only from the nearby streetlight, the shape made me guess it was a young man, wearing a black or dark blue hoodie.

''Hey Isabella! Hold up!'' It wasn't hard to recognize Dustin's voice as he started to jog towards me. Why the hell was he out here? And then I remembered that he might have actually seen this shit that was happening to me back at the library. The 'wrath of god' as he had allegedly called it. Every fiber of my being told me to get on the bike and ride in the opposite direction. But I was too damn weak and hungry.

''Dustin? What are you doing here?'' I struggled to keep my voice calm. I felt a tingling in my spine, and the heat around me became very prominent again. My nightvision even improved, and I could see his face clearly.

He stopped suddenly and took a half-step backwards, a gasp leaving him. Not feeling all that charged up, like usual, I chose to stand my ground.

''I-... I'm here... Because of _that_!'' He hissed. I could smell something delicious coming off of him. It was almost sweet, with a tangy hint to it. His hand was pointing to my head. Realizing that it was probably my eyes he was talking about, I closed them. It wasn't as if I had to actually see him, to _see_ him.

His knees stopped shaking shortly afterwards. The hand that wasn't streched out was still in the pocket on the front of his hoodie, and it looked like he was holding something with a circular handle. Possibly a small knife, or a pipe of some kind.

''I'm sorry about... Everything that happened. That I didn't stop Justin. Well to be honest I'm not actually sorry about that. I wouldn't have _known_ then.'' There was excitement and awe in his voice, clear as day. He was probably into comic books and shit, and was romanticizing the fact that there was some kind of supernatural power to me. How naive. What if I was the bad guy? What if I _am_ the bad guy? Well that would explain the weapon he was hiding, but he should know how useless it would be against me, after seeing what I did to Justin.

''I'm sorry I told them you did it in one punch. I don't want to out your secret. In fact, I want to help you!'' The breath I had been holding in the whole while left me in one big huff. He wanted to be the Robin to my batman. If batman had superpowers. And went around sucking the life out of everything around him.

''Look, Dustin'' I started. I really didn't want to have to deal with this right now. My stomach growled again to my continued ire. ''I'm moving out of the state. I have to start up new someplace else because of this shit.'' The smile on his face faded quickly.

''Thank you though. For not screaming to the high heavens how I am a fucking freak.'' I try to sound sincere, but am unsure if it came across as that. ''Please do me a favor. Keep my secret. I'm already freaking out about this myself, I don't know what I would do if word got out.'' Hoping he doesn't take it as a threat, I open my eyes, letting the power fade slowly. The world falls into darkness once more, with only the streetlight a little ways out emitting light.

''I heard you were getting expelled. I didn't think you would leave the state to go to a new school.'' He responded confused. Hoping a little half-truth would allay his worry, I switched my weight onto the bike. It would help him understand I wanted to leave as well.

''I'm moving out to go live with my dad up north.'' Giving him any details would not be good, considering how much he already knew. ''Now I really should be getting home, dinner is waiting for me and my stomach is killing me.'' Placing my feet on the pedal I started to ride around him, being careful not to get to close.

''Don't mention this again, and keep your head down. I don't know if there are anyone else like me around.'' I warn him as I pass by. He turns around to keep me infront of him as I do so. Atleast he wasn't completely foolish.

''Stay awesome, Isabella!'' I hear him call after me as I ride away from him. I really hope he would manage to keep his mouth shut. I shouldn't even really leave him as a loose thread, but there was no way I would have his blood on my hands. Better to pray for atleast _some_ amount of luck to shine on me.

The bikeride back home is a little unsteady thanks to my unnaturally weak state, but I power through it. The promise of fresh lasagna spurring me on. I park my bike in the toolshed, before rushing into the house.

The mouthwatering scent of garlic and cheesy goodness hit me like a punch to the gut as I step through the door, and after kicking off my shoes I run into the kitchen. Mom and Phil was already seated and had just started eating from the looks of it. My stomach again growled in pain, before I sat down and started filling my plate to the brim. Practically shoveling food into my mouth constantly, in between bites of garlic bread. I moaned from the pleasure, as I got a second plate. And a third.

Mom had quit after her first plate, and Phil was just finishing his second, as I got a fourth. Getting self-conscious as I noticed both Renèe and Phil gape at me, I slowed down.

''What?'' I asked as innocently as I could manage, through the garlic bread still in my mouth.

''Ohh nothing honey. I've just never seen you this hungry, I guess.'' Mom replied with a shrug, taking another sip of her wine. Phil just laughed politely beside her. I paced myself as I continued eating, trying to atleast not look like I was still ravenous. My strength was slowly returning as I ate.

''So I talked to Nina while you were out.'' Mom said as she sat there waiting for me to finish eating. ''You were right about the part about not being allowed back in school before you transfered. And even though that brat's mom disagreed, the rest of the board decided to let you transfer without being expelled.'' Clearly she had gotten quite a bit of wine into her mouth, as evidenced by the noticeable slur in her voice. There was pride in her tone though. Clearly she was happy that the principal had fought for me on this.

''Did she say anything about how fast I would be able to start back up in Forks?'' I asked her after I swallowed the remaining lasagna on my plate. I really wanted to go for a fifth serving, but that would draw too much attention.

''She would have to contact the school in the morning before she knew anything about that sweetie.'' She downed the remains of her wine, before standing up and walking over to the fridge for a refill.

''I looked up flights going to Forks. The last one before the weekend is tomorrow at eight pm.'' Phil said quietly, looking down on the floor. Mom almost drops the carton on the floor at the same time as I gasp. ''Apparently there is some earth week bullshit this weekend. Next flight isn't until monday.'' He sounds miserable for having to deliver the bad news.

''Well fuck.'' I mutter a little to loudly.

''Fucks right... Double fuck.'' Mom slurs staring out the window. She takes a large gulp of her glass before refilling it again.

The clock on the wall showed that it was nearly eight-thirty. Less than twenty-four hours left. Damn.

A yawn forcing my mouth open pulls me out of my thoughts. My body feels really heavy all of a sudden. Guess a whole heck of a lot of lasagna would do that to a growing girl.

''I think I'm gonna hit the bunk.'' I announce, breaking the silence that permeated the kitchen. Phil frowns, but doesn't say anything. ''Unless there was anything else?'' I pipe up, feeling a little guilty.

Mom doesn't even turn around, just waves her glass beside her. ''No hun, you go get some sleep.''

''Alright then, good night.'' Placing the plate in the dishwasher, I walk up the stairs. With every step it feels like my body is growing heavier. As I walk into my breezy room, I groan. I had left the window open earlier, shredded strips of cloth scattered everywhere.

I closed the window and stripped down completely, not wanting to ruin another set of clothes if I ended up taking another midnight stroll. A voice in the back of my mind reminded me that I had actually dressed before jumping out of the window on the other nights I had been sleepwalking.

Not that I cared, as I sluggishly stumbled into my bed and got under the covers. And as soon as my head hit the pillow, I was out.

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 **AN: So that was that, an early christmas present to all of you out there who bother reading my silly story. Merry christmas, and happy new years.**


	4. Changing Scenery

**AN: I wanted to say thank you to those of you that left kind words for me after last chapter. That was very nice of you. And happy new year everyone!**

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 **Deadly Affection – Reimagined**

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of it's characters. I just make them do what I want.

 **Chapter 4: Changing Scenery**

 **Bella PoV**

The window wasn't open when I woke up. Looking at my phone I could see it was just before seven in the morning. My body ached as I moved to get out of bed. It wasn't as bad as it had been the last two days, but I could still feel it. I kicked away the pieces of shredded clothing from yesterday and grabbed some underwear.

I couldn't actually get the bra strap to fit around my chest when I tried to put it on. That was weird. I remember this one being a bit tight the last few times I had used it, but try as I might, I could not get the damn thing to fit. Come to thing of it, my panties were digging into my hips as well. Walking over to my mirror I looked myself over.

''No... freaking way!'' I whispered to myself, as I flexed my biceps, gasping at the noticable increase in muscle mass. It had a tiny crest to it that I had never had before, near where my arm connected to my elbow. It wasn't that big, but it was way more than the usual flat line I had lived with for years. Looking around at other parts of my body, I noticed that my stomach was a little more flat than usual, and when I tensed, I could see the faint outline of my abs.

It was fascinating. The more I looked, the more differences I found. Even my fingers looked bigger, so I grabbed a pair of thin brown leather gloves from my desk and put them on. Flexing my hands, they felt almost a size too small.

I put the gloves back and pulled out an old sports bra that had streched out a bit too much, and found that it was now a perfect fit again. Getting a broom from the cleaning closet, I set about gathering all the shreds of cloth in my room. The plastic handle felt flimsy as I worked, bending as I went.

I noticed small pieces of metal near beneath the bench next to the window. They felt brittle in my hands, one of the larger pieces breaking in two when I tried to bend it. Their surfaces where pock-marked and rough, looking almost as if they had melted, and then I realized what they were. The metal wires of the bra I had worn yesterday. It seems even metal wasn't safe from my 'second skin'. Good to know.

I briefly wondered what caused the two different states I had seen myself in. There was no 'second skin' when I freaked out in the principals office, thank god. That could have ended in a disaster, not to mention I'd have ended up naked infront of Nina and my mom. It didn't happen when I had talked to Dustin either. He only knew about the eyes, and the strength. Wonder what he would have thought if I had blazed up and ended up naked infront of him. A bitter laugh escaped me as I sweeped everything together.

Tossing the evidence in the bin, I tied it up and placed it next to the door. Now onto next part. Packing. Being as quiet as I could, I went up into the attic and got a nice black traveling bag. Setting it down on the bed, I went looking for comfy, warm clothes. The problem was that out of the few pieces I did have, a lot of them had been a snug fit before. Which posed a danger for my wallet in the future, more so than I had first imagined when I considered moving to Forks. Gotta ask my mom if she could help me with that one later.

By the time I was done picking out what was actually big and warm enough that I had, only about one fifth of the bag was used. So I started rummaging through the less warm stack for anything that still fit and added that to the pile. I growled in frustration as I looked upon the pathetic stock I had scrounged up. There was barely four complete outfits, though I had a few extra sweaters.

I packed up my laptop that I had gotten from Phil near the beginning of the school year. An MSI gaming series sleek black bulk of a thing. It wasn't all that impressive, but it was good for editing and getting school work done. It even ran a few games Audrey had gotten me into.

Stuffing it in the bag as well, I went over to my closet. Atleast I had a few thick jackets for those rare occasions it actually got somewhat cold. They would have to do for now. Stacking two of them on top of the computer, I sat down and considered what else I would need.

A pair of black boots that reached halfway up my shin tucked into the corner. The brown leather gloves. Thick woolen socks. The beige scarf I loved. Bag of toiletries. A few odds and ends I figured I would miss, like my potted cactus. A couple of books I felt like re-reading in the future.

In the end the bag was only a little over half-full. I strapped everything secure, apart from the small blue toilet bag, which I would need right about now.

Starting the shower, I turned up the heat, figuring it would help my aching muscles. And as I washed, I got a good sense of just how much muscles I had built up. They were taut, defined. It felt really weird. The heat and some light massaging of my own worked most of the kinks out in good time.

As I dried up, I got out the scale and stepped up on it. I had gained a few kilograms since the last time I weighed myself. On a whim, I tip-toed out into the hall and got a measuring tape from the closet and measured my height. One meter sixtyfour. It had been a long time since I checked my height, since I didn't want to remind myself of just how short I was. But I could have sworn I remember being only one sixtytwo. I couldn't remember exactly when the last time was, so it could be that I had grown naturally since then. Then again, I couldn't rule it out. I would have to keep an eye on it.

Stashing the measuring tape in the small bag, I started brushing my teeth. Remembering the reflection I had seen the other night while looking at myself in the mirrior made me think. Could I go through the rest of the day without an incident that caused my eyes to flare up again? I gathered it was probably an emotional trigger to it, like anger. Or fear. I got scared when the principal had told me I almost killed Justin. And I was scared of what Dustin would do when I came up to me near the swings last night.

But when the whole 'second skin' thing happened that was sadness, followed by anger. Or it was just the anger. Atleast it hadn't happened when I had been crying any other times last night.

Spitting, rinsing and putting the toothbrush into the small bag, I got dressed. Placing it in the travel bag and zipping it up, I grabbed it and the trashbag in my room and went downstairs, placing the bag near the door. Coming back in after throwing away the trashbag, I went into the kitchen.

As a small test, I tried to focus on something that made me a little angry, like the fact that Justin had called Audrey a dyke. The now almost familiar chill down my spine came to me quickly so I tried to contain it. Didn't want to ruin _another_ set of clothes. Feeling it out for a few moments I felt like I was getting the hang of it. I _looked_ up towards moms bedroom, a part of me suddenly fearing I would _see_ something I shouldn't. That wasn't the case thankfully.

Phil was still sleeping like a baby from the looks of it. Mom was awake however, sitting on the side of the bed holding her hands infront of her. I couldn't make out if she was just looking at her ring, or if she was just wringing them.

I took a deep breath, willing the power coursing through me away again. After a second exhale I could no longer feel the heat around me. Atleast I can stop easily enough when I'm calm.

''Mom! Phil! Do you guys want any breakfast?'' I called out loud enough to be heard from upstairs. After a few seconds of silence, I didn't know if mom was going to answer at all. Perhaps she was occupied, thinking about something. She usually drowns the world out when she does that.

A full minute of no response, I figured I'd given it a try, and didn't bother waiting any longer. I was still really hungry from yesterday. Taking my time, I ate two or three times more than I used to eat for breakfast, easy. It has to be a side effect of whatever is going on with me, that's for sure.

After I cleaned up and put everything back in the fridge, I got my wallet and went out to my bike. I needed some dark shades, stat. The ride to the gas station near my house took me almost ten minutes, but it was well worth it when I found a pair of rectangular black shades with sidecovers. It did sting a little in the price department, but it would be invaluable in stopping people from sneaking a peek at my eyes if I ever raged out.

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As we drove to the school, all three of us, mom didn't stop pestering me with questions. How would you survive the cold, how would I make new friends and so on and so forth. I had heard it all over and over again since they came down for breakfast.

It was just past noon as we parked the car, with all three of us getting out and walking to the principals office. There were some documents me and my 'guardians' had to sign for the paperwork to be done. I wondered how they would have enforced this if mom didn't have Phil. Would they have to send it by mail to my dad to sign? Seemed a little archaic. Why we couldn't have just signed it electronically, I did not know.

Nina has talked to the school in Forks before we got there, but they weren't even sure if I would be able to start next monday. Which meant we didn't even know if I actually needed to get on the flight later today. That had been another one of moms questions going on repeat. But I needed to go. If only to have more time to figure this out, without as many people around.

We all signed the dotted lines, hugs and handshakes were exchanged, and then we were off again. This time we went to the mall, finding some actual winter clothing. A dark blue parka, snow boots and some thick gloves. She even handed me a couple hundred dollars to take with me, to 'use as you see fit' as she explained it. I had whined that it was way too much, but she flat out refused to hear it.

The hours flew past, and before I knew it, we were putting my bag in the car, and were off to the airport. With baggage checked in, and my ticket and passport safe in my backpack, I turned to mom.

''This is it huh?'' I was a little nervous, but also excited. My mom's face were switching between crying and smiling too fast for me to keep track, as she grabbed me and hugged me tightly.

''You don't have to do this. We can still leave, and wait until after the weekend.'' She was breaking apart in my arms, shaking like a leaf.

''What, and send all my clothes up to live with dad without me?'' I joked, hoping it would calm her nerves. She just grabbed onto me tighter.

''I don't want you to leave.'' I could tell by her voice that she was about to cry. I put my hands on her shoulders and pushed her off of me. It was easier than I thought it would be, given her deathgrip.

''Mom. Seriously. Look at me.'' Renèe calmed down slightly, her shivering stopped for just a second. ''I'm going to be fine. This will be great for all of us.'' I motioned to all three of us. ''Give it a few days, and you will hardly even miss me.'' I didn't say it in a mean way, although I knew she would construe it that way. I saw it as an admirable trait, the way she lived in so in the moment.

''Call me, like, every day. And dress warm. And be careful about your clumsiness. And be nice to your father...-'' She cried into my shoulder, and I embraced her one last time. She continued to mumble stuff I should remember or things to be careful about for a while longer, until Phil pulled her off of me.

''Take care of her Phil. I'm counting on you.'' I whispered to him over moms crying into his shoulder now. He grabbed Renèe tighter, being the only thing keeping her knees from buckling.

''Sure thing Bella. You stay safe up there. Try not to piss off any more kids, would ya?'' A smile crinkled his face as he waved. I was going to miss Phil. The blithe disposition he brought to everyone around him.

The walk through the security screening and towards my gate was filled with music, blasting from my earbuds. I garnered a lot of looks as I strolled through the shops and cafés. I couldn't tell if it was because of the shades or something else, but I found it a little unnerving.

Before long it was time to board the plane. The line didn't take too long, and to my elation I found that Phil had actually booked a window seat for me. I would have to thank him again later. A guy sat down next to me. He was quite young from the looks of it, but he seemed familiar.

He actually reminded me a bit of dad, from the short glances I stole at him. He had dark hair and a mustache that could use some grooming. I wonder if dad had grown his back since the last time I saw him. He had claimed the Arizona heat had killed it or something.

The plane jostled me awake as we landed. I hadn't even noticed I was falling asleep, but hey. The slow procession of people leaving the plane gave me plenty of time to send my dad a text and tell him I had just landed. And one to my mom that I had landed safely.

I was the last one off, as the cabin crew started going around collecting trash. My bag had made a full lap on the conveyor belt before I picked it up. It had filled up a bit after the shopping trip earlier, so I was thankful it had wheels.

Charlie wasn't hard to pick out of a crowd, being the only police officer standing in the main lobby. The dark mustache and short hair that I was used to seeing on him was all there. He waved me over with a smile, his head tilting to the side.

''Hey dad!'' I said as I walked over to him, going in for a hug. He looked at me a little funny, before straightening up and hugging me back.

''Hey Bella.'' His voice was gruff, as usual. After letting me go, he looked me up and down a few times. ''Did you get taller or something? You look a little different.'' His tone wasn't accusatory, which was the only thing keeping me from outright panicking. It was probably easier for him to see the difference since it had been a long time since we met.

''I'm not sure, but I think so. Maybe I hit another growth spurt. I wouldn't complain about a few extra centimeters.'' I lied smoothly. It could even be sort of an explanation for Charlie if I was infact getting taller. Or bulkier.

He nodded thoughtfully. ''Well then, let's get to it shall we?'' He replies, snatching the bag out of my hands and starting towards the exit. The cruiser was in the parking lot not too far from the entrance, but even in the dark, and with shades on, I could find it easily. It was the only car with the light array on top after all.

I went ahead of him and opened the trunk, before Charlie hoisted my bag in there with a huff.

''We're going to have to get some food if you're hungry. I completely forgot to get groceries.'' Charlie stated as he slammed the trunk shut. ''Maybe we could stop by the diner?'' I laughed at his tardiness, and his cheeks grew red.

''It's past eleven dad. I think I'm just gonna hit the bed when we get home.'' It was strange, calling Forks home again. But it would help set my dad at ease. I could even see a smile lifting his mustache.

''Well then I guess I'll fix some grub first thing tomorrow.'' Charlie said as he opened the door. I felt a pang of guilt at how happy dad seemed. It really had been too long since I had been there for a visit.

''So how are you holding up?'' Dad asks nonchalantly as he starts up the car. The questions catches me off guard.

''What do you mean?'' I respond confused. He glances at me as he pulls out of the parking lot.

''I mean. How are you feeling about this whole deal? About having to move here.'' For once I am stumped as to what Charlie is getting at. Is he genuinly curious? Or does he think I resent having to come here? He has never been one to second guess himself.

''Kind of frustrated with myself I guess. For being so stupid that I got kicked out because of one hormone-driven asshat.'' He grinds his teeth at that one, but I still can't tell why. ''And I'm happy. Happy that I had the alternative of coming here.'' I say it mostly to reassure him, incase he was actually doubting my willingness to come here. It strikes me that that was actually the case, when his neck pops with how fast his head turns to me.

''What?'' Now it's him that's confused. I politely point back to the road, as a gentle reminder. We're alone on the narrow road, but still. Never hurts to be vigilant.

''I have missed the dense forest, and the colors. Even the rain.'' I continue, trying to come up with good things I remember about Forks. ''The city was getting a little hectic for me. I have felt like I've needed some space for a while now. I guess I'm kinda like my dad that way.'' That all-out smile of his breaks out across his face. The one I have loved seeing on him since I can remember.

''Is that so.'' His voice is hoarse, and he clears his throat a few times before he continues. ''That's really good to hear Bells.'' He blinks his eyes rapidly, and I look out the window to avoid any awkwardness. There's a small layer of snow clinging to the tops of the trees and the ground as we pass. That's one thing I don't really miss.

''So have you heard anything from the school yet about when I can start?'' I say to change the subject. I can hear him shuffle in his seat, clearing his throat one more time.

''They were going to call me again tomorrow to confirm it, but the secretary didn't think you could start before the middle of next week at best.'' The tension that had been in the air was almost immediately gone.

''The middle of the week? Are you serious? I actually thought I had to start on a monday.'' I almost want to kick myself for rushing to leave Phoenix now. Though if I hadn't left as soon, Renèe would have been a mess until I left anyway, so maybe it was better this way.

''You weren't the only one. When I asked the woman on the phone about it, she said it was a new practice they had started. Something about it being easier because of electronic regitrering or something.'' Dad explained, sounding just as confused as I had been. ''I could probably get it pushed to the next monday if you wish. Give you some time to get your bearings?'' His voice was really tender. Dad-mode Charlie was behind the wheels.

''Thanks. But I don't want to fall any further behind in school than I need to. I'd just get more homework to catch up on when I started again anyway.'' I would have atleast four or five days to get set up anyway. Should be more than enough. Enough for some time to try to start to figure out my powers as well.

Charlie guffawed, causing me to turn to him again. ''You're my daughter alright.'' His eyes shone with mirth. I could feel my throat constrict, and I turned back to stare into the forest. I really had missed my dad more than I realized. It made me sad, considering how much worse it must have been for him. Living alone, he didn't have anyone to alleviate that issue, apart from the few weeks every summer when we would meet up. It made me feel even more like shit for making him come to me.

We fell into an easy silence for the rest of the drive, instead choosing to listen to the radio. He had it set to some rock station I wasn't familiar with, but I was content listening to old classics with the current company. A pensive mood came over me as I considered what my dad had gone through all these years. He had never been with anyone in all the years after mom left him as far as I knew. Maybe he had been hiding it from me, but I felt confident my father would have told me if there was someone he was serious about.

I knew he had some good really good friends he was close with, like Harry and Billy down at the rez. Him and Harry used to go fishing a lot from what I could remember. And I remember playing with Rebecca and Rachel a lot, Billy's kids. It seems they had somehow managed to keep my dad sane, even with the work he did.

I felt relatively safe that I wouldn't rage out on anything with how calm I felt, so I chose to take off my glasses. It wasn't like the copious amounts of trees we passed was a new thing, but it still felt a lot different than the desert that I had lived in for so many years. I tried peering into the forest as we sped along the road, but it was way to dark to spot anything but snow and shadows.

All too quickly I could recognize the street we were on, and two minutes later we parked in the driveway of my dads house. My new home.

The sting of the cold air hit me as I stepped out of the car. An involuntary shiver rippled through me. The smack of the trunk being closed alerted me that dad had gotten my bag. I followed him up to the front door, feeling a little apprehensive.

''I don't really think anythings changed since you were last here.'' Charlie sounded a little embarrased as he admitted it. It was a good thing that it hadn't in my opinion, I needed the reminders to keep from going insane. To stay grounded.

''I got some new stuff for your room though.'' He said as he trudged up the stairs with the bag in tow. I felt a little guilty, letting him haul that thing everywhere. It wasn't exactly light anymore, after the shopping trip I had been on.

Making sure I was braced for impact if he lost the bag, I followed up after him. There were no such accident fortunately. He stepped inside my room and put the bag by the bed before he stood a little to the side, giving me a good view. It was a little spartan. I guess he had hid away all my old toys. The walls were still lime green, which I would have to do something about. The bedsheets were new, being pink with purple flower patterns. The curtains were a matching set.

''I got some help from the sales lady to pick out the new stuff. You like purple, right?'' He blushed and sounded embarrased again. I could only smile at his concern over the matter.

''It's perfect dad, thanks.'' I responded kindly, stepping into the room and sitting down on the bed.

''Okay then. I'll be downstairs if you need anything.'' He replied, ducking out of my room in a hurry.

I sighed as I laid down on the bad, having kicked off my shoes. There were no cracks in the roof here, only a flat white surface. I didn't know if I should feel happy I had a window on the second floor again. It would cause me to leave evidence of my nightly outings, unless I could keep a habit of going out for a while before bed. If that was even the reason I hadn't gone out the night before.

Pulling the phone out of my pocket, I look at the time. It was already eleven fifty pm, and from what I remembered, we were one hour behind Phoenix here, so it would be one in the morning. Mom had called over an hour ago, probably while I was asleep on the plane. She was probably freaking out, if she hadn't fallen asleep yet.

 _'I'm in Forks now, safe and sound. We just got home, still gotta unpack. Will call you tomorrow.'_ I texted Renèe. I hoped she hadn't stayed up worrying, but when it came to mom I wouldn't put it past her.

 _'Hey A. I've gotten to Forks in one piece somehow, despite the snow here. It's late, so I'll call you tomorrow. Ps- Snow sucks!'_ I shot a text to Audrey as well, musing as to what would be her reaction. Probably laugh at my misery. Yeah, definitely.

With a huff, I hauled my ass back out of the bed. I put all my jackets and winter stuff in the closet, before placing the rest of my clothes in the dresser. A quick trip to the toilet with my toiletry reminded me of something that could become an issue. One bathroom. Oh joy. As I was already there, I decided to brush my teeth at the same time.

I leaned the bag up against the desk in my room. I could find a new home for it in the morning.

''Goodnight dad!'' I called out into the hallway, hearing a mumbled response come back from downstairs.

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The dim light peering through my window greeted me as I opened my eyes. The first few seconds of confusion caused me to jump out of bed in surprise at the new surroundings. The cold tingle down my spine of my powers activating reminded me why I was here in this cold little room. I looked to the window in suspense, but was pleasantly surprised that it was closed. I was in the buff in the cold room, but none of my clothes were missing. I couldn't feel the gnawing hunger I had felt in the morning the last few days either.

Somehow I didn't go out in the middle of the night, even though I didn't drain anything yesterday. Getting dressed quickly, I moved downstairs to find that the house was empty. The clock on the wall read eight fifteen, so Charlie should be at work by now. I found a note on the fridge that he had left.

 _'Didn't want to disturb you, so I let you sleep in. I stocked the fridge for us, you can take anything you'd like. Apart from my beer. I'll try to be back home before five pm, but if you need anything just give me a call. -Dad'_

The winking smileyface after the mention of his beer got a chuckle ouf of me. He had indeed stocked the fridge almost to the brim with all manners of food. I even found a pack of the local butchery's pastrami that I loved, and I would be amiss to not sample it again.

I sat down and ate at the small table in the kitchen, having found the utensils I needed from memory. I groaned in pleasure as the taste hit my tongue. I was drawn back into old memories as I ate, remembering the summers I had visited. The fishing trips dad and Harry had dragged me along for, despite my complaints. How I bemoaned the constant rain as we sat in the small fishing boat.

It made me feel melancholic, longing for a time when things were so much simpler. I didn't want to dwell on it, but the thought lingered in the back of my mind.

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 **AN: So I figured this would be a good place to end the chapter, before it got way too long again. Bella has finally gotten to Forks, but it will be a chapter or two before she starts school. Future chapters will not be as regular now as work is starting back up, so the monthly schedule will resume after this one.**


	5. Learning the Ropes

**AN: So I've had a few different plans about how this should go before Bella starts school. And while a few of them would be fun, I decided to go with the more straightforward approach. To those that feel like it has taken a long time getting here; I understand.**

 **I used to like the stories that got straight to the point right away, but with the concept of Bella having her own set of abilities, I felt it better to have some backstory. An Origin Story, if you will. It will end soon, as I believe I will have Bella start school in the next chapter.**

 **So please bear with me, and hopefully you will enjoy the story as it unfolds.**

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 **Deadly Affection – Reimagined**

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of it's characters. I just make them do what I want.

 **Chapter 5: Learning the Ropes**

 **Bella PoV**

It was actually a sunny Friday, the end of a long week with a lot of problems. The air was brisk, and the temperature was decidedly in the negative, with a light snowfall. Which would have normally bothered me a lot more than it did. But not right now. That could be contributed to both the sun being out, and what I was currently doing.

The shards of rock peppered the foliage around me, before sinking into the snow. My confidence grew with each blow that I rained on the minerals clumped up around me. Confidence that this thing I had been granted, boon or curse, could at least keep me somewhat safe in this new supernatural world I had been forced into. I laughed at the notion, releasing the anger within me. It wasn't the world that had changed. I wasn't naive enough to believe that I would be unique. In this world of more than seven billion people, I could not be the only one to have powers.

It made me ponder if the old myths and monsters of legend were actually real. It seemed a far-fetched idea with how interconnected most of the world is today. Yet I was proof, that there indeed was more out there than the just the mundane humans. Things like dragons seemed a little out there though, if their size was not seriously exaggerated. With seven billion humans on the earth, and with how many phones had cameras, you would think someone would have seen them. Or they could be extinct. That was a scary thought.

Sweat ran down my face from the exertion as I stood up and went over to my stuff. I was surrounded by debris from rocks and small trees deep in the woods behind my new home. The small clearing I had found was perfect for a test of my new strength. Having figured out that I just needed to focus my anger to bring forth the power in me, I started punching the rocks littered around the place.

The booming noises of my fists striking rock, followed by the muted cracks of the rocks breaking from the force brought forth glee in me. Which had shown me a flaw in my powers. The next rock I tried to punch didn't crack. My fist did. It hurt like a bitch to break my ring and little finger, with the bones threatening to pierce my skin.

I had refocused on the anger as I let out a scream in pain. And I still can't believe my eyes as I watched my fingers began to realign themselves, a weird tingling sensation accompanying it. The tingling increased in intensity, turning into a burning pain as my bones fused back together again. Within seconds not a mark was left on my hand as evidence to the injury. I tried feeling my fingers along the fractures, but didn't notice any bumps in the bone to signify an injury had occurred at all.

And so I had figured that I needed to maintain my anger in order to keep my strength. Somehow it was a hardwired trigger. I also took note that while my strength wavered, the presence of life forces around me had not completely vanished. I could still feel everything around me, although the range had been reduced.

There was also a sort of barrier, or peak, to this strength. It took several blows to break some of the pillow sized boulders apart. I knew I could get stronger, but not without unleashing the full cloak of energy around me. And that would ruin my clothes again. Which is why I was currently stripping out of my clothes, folding them and placing them in a pile at the edge of the clearing.

It was time to feel how much power I could handle, without succumbing to the rage I had two days ago. As I stood in the middle of the clearing trying to focus, a stray thought hit me. What the hell would someone say if the found me out here naked. What would I even look like to someone else. That got me curious, so I hurried over to my clothes and got my phone out my pocket, placing up on a rock so that I could see my reflection.

Closing my eyes to focus, I started conjuring the feeling of injustice and anger for my situation. Strength flowed through me, only it wasn't enough. The barrier was holding me back. I tried focusing on how mad Justin had made me, insulting Audrey. In my mind I could see the barrier bending, but it would not break. Not even when I thought about the anger I had felt with frog dying.

I huffed from exertion, putting on my shoes and getting my phone again before going over to lean against a boulder. Perhaps I had used too much of my power already, and I was running out of energy? I took a swig of water from the bottle I had brought with me, enjoying the cold feeling spreading in my chest.

Even with all the snow out here, I didn't actually feel cold standing out here naked. The temperature was somewhere just around the melting point by now, as the sun had started peeking through the trees. I looked at my reflection in my phone, and saw that they were no longer red, even though I could still feel warmth around me.

The clock showed almost two pm already, so I would have to get back soon. And I still needed to call Audrey, now that her school day was over. Feeling around me for the brightest source of energy around me, I turned to a large spruce tree standing more than ten meters high. It was probably several times older than me, but I needed to top off my energy to avoid suspicious eating habits. Hopefully.

I trudged up to it through the snow and rubble up to it's trunk. Dipping into the anger I felt the power wash over me once again. _'drain'_ I chanted to myself quietly, placing both my hands on either side of the tree. There were some resistance at first, before it felt like I was shocked by a live wire.

The heat rushed into me through my palms, burning down my arms before enveloping my entire body. I could _see_ my own aura expanding, bubbling, and it was starting to hurt. My hands gripped into the moss covered bark, digging into it as my muscles flexed without thinking about it. My fingers were digging into the tree itself, causing more energy to flow into me.

The pain became intense as the output of energy more than doubled, and to my horror I realized that I had barely even started to diminish the energy within the tree. There was so much more to come. Tears streamed down my face as I howled in pain.

Then the pain shifted. Like a bucket of icy water being poured over me, a chill ran down my spine in a flash, and I could see the second skin start to emerge like mist out of every pore in my skin. It coalesced into a thick film around my body in seconds, destroying my shoes in the process. The pain had faded into a dull ember of what it once was. I barely noticed it over the humming noise that had started to emerge from the second skin.

A crack in the tree alerted me to the increase in strength so far beyond what I had tried before. I was slowly crushing the trunk of the tree in my hands, cracks in the bark opening and the sound of wood groaning. My hands were almost entirely embedded in the tree as the cloak of energy burned through the tree slowly.

But even my with my cloak the burning in my arms started to reemerge again before the dying tree was tapped completely. It felt like I was bursting apart at the seams as the second skin around me increased in thickness around me. It grew from millimeters to a centimeter, then two. It felt like it was desperately trying to hold me together.

I closed my eyes after I saw cracks of pure red energy burst open along my arms, ripping open my skin. I wailed in agony, trying to ease the pressure in my body, when the oddest thing happened.

The tree trunk exploded right in front of my face. My eyes were closed, but I could _see_ the energy erupt from my mouth as I screamed. Like the open fields of death I had left in the deserts in Phoenix, a hole formed in the energy in the tree. The cold feeling of death replaced it. And it grew so quickly I barely noticed it, before the energy coming into me was cut off.

The trunk just disintegrated into shards of wood that showered the entire area around me. As gravity drew the rest of the tree down towards the earth, I drew back my hands, placing them in front of me to protect my body. Charred remains of wooden shards going almost too fast for me to notice had bounced off my second skin as if it was a solid barrier protecting me, yet I couldn't stop the instinct to protect my face with my arms.

When the tree above hit what was left of the trunk below the ground shook violently, but I didn't actually feel it. The second skin under my feet had dug into the ground, burning away snow and dead grass, and acted as a damper. I could see bark had cracked and fallen off in flakes from the tree, and there were no leaves left on the branches.

For a tense second the tree balanced on the trunk, before it slowly started tilting towards me. I could feel my instincts screaming for me to panic. To get the hell out of there. The fight of flight response was pointing squarely at flight. But I didn't move. It felt like an unfamiliar voice whispering in my mind. _'destroy it'_

My arms came down from in front of my face as I opened my eyes in shock. Then the same feeling I had felt when I had pushed Dustin over. Like my body was moving on my own. I didn't even will it. My right hand extended towards the tree slowly falling towards me with an open palm. And without any more warning, I could _see_ energy erupt from my palm, invisible to the naked eye.

A loud _CRACK_ ringed in my ears as what was left of the tree flew backwards. It snapped in half at the point where the energy impacted it, before flying away from me in an upwards arc. The brittle tree broke several more times in flight. Booming crashes followed as the remains of the once mighty spruce crashed into several trees behind it, leaving a wide swath of devastation.

I stood there gaping in shock for a good ten seconds, before my brain registered the tingling sensation of the skin on my arms knitting itself back together. The second skin around me was an even deeper shade of red than before, almost looking like I was surrounded my a wall of translucent blood.

''FUUUUCK!'' I screamed loudly, finally freaking out about what had happened, falling to my knees. It didn't feel like I was going to rip apart anymore, but the reserves within me were much larger than what I had felt earlier. The range I could _see_ had more than doubled, an the myriad of new energy signatures around me made my brain hurt.

This was so much fucking worse than I had thought. It felt like I had nearly killed myself trying to drain that spruce. I didn't even know that could happen. When I had drained everything around me in Phoenix, it didn't feel like I was going to rip apart. Though the burning was similar to the cactus I had drained. But that was a lot smaller than this giant fucking tree. Maybe there was a parallel between size and amount of energy. And apparently there was a cap to how much energy I could drain. Or drain in one go? Maybe that was why I could drain so many different plants in a wide area.

I had no wish to test it now though. I'd had enough playing around for one day. I walked over to the rock where I had stashed my stuff earlier and almost grabbed my clothes before realizing I was still cloaked in blood-red energy. Next test, how to drop this second skin.

I wasn't thinking about anything that made me angry, yet it didn't go away. I looked down at my hands, noticing the hulking fists the second skin formed around my own. Flexing my hands and forming fists, I noticed that the movement didn't perfectly mimic in the second skin. As if to compensate for the size difference, the second skin's fingers closed slower, yet as my nails hit my palm, so did the claws in my second skin hit the palm of it.

Grinning at the power I felt coursing through me, I walked over to a rock face at the edge of the clearing, well away from my clothes. My right hand forming a fist, I set my feet in the stance my dad had taught me while training me in self-defense, and starting from the hip, I punched as hard as I could into the wall of bedrock.

The thundering _CRACK_ was followed my series of fissures in the solid wall of rock, yet I didn't feel anything as shards of rock showered me. When the dust settled I noticed that my arm was elbow deep in the bedrock, without a tiniest tingle of healing bones.

Okay, so _now_ I was done playing around for today, and as soon as I extricated my arm and jumped back, watching as the wall crumbled into a pile of rubble. The glow of my cloak dimmed, before slowly sinking back into my own pale flesh. A rush of adrenaline made my knees wobble as I stumbled back to my clothes, careful not to step on any shards of stone.

Dusting off the debris left on my clothes, I quickly got dressed. Only then did it actually hit me that my shoes had fucking vaporized. Staring at the offending holes in the snow near the tree, I stomped my way back towards the house, following the trail I left on the way up here. Without shoes. Thankfully my anger at the situation upheld my anger, so I didn't feel the cold.

The trek back to the house took the better part of thirty minutes, wading through the tall trees standing in silent vigil. Thoughts ran through my mind all the while, which kept me occupied. How did this power manifest in me? Could it be possible that it was genetic? Was it something I had come in contact with? I snorted as soon as I thought of destiny. That was just silly. The only destiny to have been proven time and time again, is that the strong prey on the weak.

Gloomy thoughts followed. Was whatever I was, or the power I had, made to elevate my own selfish desires? There was nothing good about my powers. It was death for everything or everyone around me.

I stopped in place, realizing that the anger I was holding onto was starting to twist my thoughts. Imagining playing with kittens and small puppies, I purged the angry thoughts from my mind. And holy shit walking in snow with only socks on was way colder than I had imagined. Thankfully I could see the house from where I was, and sprinted for the goal.

My socks were off before I even got through the door, carrying them with me in my triple jump attempt up the stairs to the bathroom. A nice long soak was in order to heat up my frozen body. There were no massage options on the shower head here, but I would trade that for this bathtub anyway.

Having dried off and gotten on a set of comfy sweats, I jumped onto my bed, ready to call Audrey. Lying on my back I check through the recent call list and find her number, staring into the ceiling as I listen to it beep. A part of me frowns that my damp hair might get my bedsheet wet, but I pushed it away.

''Hey there stranger.'' She sounded tired as she answered the phone after almost a full minute. Had she debated if she even wanted to answer the call? Maybe I had been hoping for too much, when I thought we parted on good terms. Or she could have put the phone down in the other room. Better not to dwell on it.

''Oh it's stranger now, is it? And here I had hoped you wouldn't forget the long depraved past we shared quite so quickly.'' Her guttural chuckle told me she wasn't in a bad mood at least.

''Well, you do live about two thousand kilometers away now.'' She threw back at me with mirth. ''So how's Forks working out for you so far?''

''Forks is great. Apart from all the fucking snow!'' I groaned over the phone. Snow was cool and all, but the cold wasn't. I did have something I could do about that however, but I couldn't tell Audrey that.

She laughed at my displeasure. ''Serves you right. Do stupid things, you win stupid prizes.'' It was clear that she still thought I hated it here, but it couldn't be further from the truth.

''Defending myself isn't stupid!'' I barked back. ''It's not my fault Justin's brittle.'' A petulant groan added for effect. There would be more secrets between us now, and I think Audrey was smart enough to have figured that out. Not that she voiced any concerns.

''Have you heard any news about him? Is he getting better?'' I sincerely hoped he wouldn't have any lasting means. No matter how much of an ass he was, he didn't deserve that.

''He's got a big tube sticking out of his chest, according to Dustin. And his ribs will take weeks to heal. It's going to take a long time before he has gotten well enough to come back to school'' Audrey's reply is strangely muted, her mood taking a dip. I raised up on my elbows with the news.

''Shit.'' I would have to be careful with my anger in school. If a single held-back punch could do that, I really didn't want to see what I would do when properly enraged. ''Will there be any long-term problems you think?''

''No, Dustin said he should make a full recovery after a lot of bed rest.'' A spark of concern bloomed in me.

''What, are you and Dustin hanging out now or something?'' I tried to joke, to keep it light, but it failed spectacularly.

''Not really. He's sat with me at lunch a few times, but that's it. Why?'' Audrey sounded suspicious. I just hoped Dustin wasn't trying to get closer to her because of what I was.

''Just wondering if I would have to switch up my questionnaire for any potential suitors.'' I deflected. It was a good enough excuse, considering our last conversation.

''Oh, ha ha. You're think you're so god damn funny, don't you?'' Audrey had taken the bait thankfully, but I still needed to make sure Dustin wasn't being nosy.

''What? He seemed like a nice enough guy, if you look past his choice of friends.'' There was some begrudging truth to my words. I kicked my sheets in frustration.

''Yeah well I'm only batting for one team, so he's not really my type.'' She is quiet for a while, before continuing. ''He was asking a lot about you, come to think of it.'' Alarm bells start going off in my head.

''Like what?'' I respond a little too quickly, something I only realized when I heard Audrey chortle. I rolled over on the bed, waving my feet in the air anxiously.

''He was asking what kind of person you were and such. You weren't interested in him, were you?'' She mistook my suddenness for a crush. So at least Dustin hadn't spilled my secrets to her.

''Oh hell no! He's a nice guy and all, but he's not my type either.'' I can't help but laugh at the idea. Crushing on the guy that could literally ruin my life with a word. Hilarious.

''Is that so.'' A silence occurs, and lasts for several seconds, before Audrey quietly goes on. ''So how are you really doing up there?''

''I haven't been here for a day, but I think I might enjoy it. The air is so fresh here, even with the biting cold. And I think I will like living with Charlie. He let's me have my space.'' Sure I hadn't gotten to know anyone in the new school yet, but how bad could the kids here be?

''You could have fooled me with that one if you hadn't proclaimed how much you hate the cold as many times as you have.'' Audrey just laughs my response off, which annoyed me since I really was starting to like it here.

''At least I'm handling it better than Renèe.'' I respond jokingly, and she laughs with me.

''I'd bet. And how is your mom handling?'' Renèe had always loved having Audrey over, treating her like a daughter. And I knew Audrey loved my mom just as much.

''I talked to her a few hours ago, and she hasn't gotten to terms with the fact that I don't live with her anymore. She asked me to buy food after school. I swear, she's got to have Alzheimer's or something.'' I joked halfheartedly. It wasn't true of course, my mom was just a little scatterbrained at times. That was a good thing in this case, as she could get over it quicker once she finally accepted it.

A hearty laugh came from the phone, loud enough that I had to take it away from my ears for a moment.

''I can believe that!'' Audrey said when we finished laughing. ''She's going to be a mess for a spell, until her boyfriend gets her mind on other matters''

''Her fiancé, you mean.'' I corrected her, realizing I hadn't told her the news. She squealed in response.

''I knew it! Those two are perfect for each other!'' She continued squealing, and I had to laugh at her giddiness. ''Please tell me I'm invited! I need to be there! Please! Oh pretty please!''

''Whoa calm down A! They just got engaged a few days ago. The wedding probably isn't going to be until, at best, after the summer. And of course you'll be invited! You're like a second daughter to her!'' A third round of squeals ensues, and I hear her repeating just the word 'yes' over and over again.

''Oh shit.'' Her microphone makes a garbled noise, like she is covering it with some form of cloth. Just in the background I hear her talking with her mother, but I can't make out the words. ''I'm sorry, but I gotta go. I forgot me and mom were going out shopping.''

''Don't worry about it, I got some stuff I need to do before Charlie comes home. Tell your mom I said hi. And take care Audrey.'' A pang of sadness that the little time we had to chat was over, combined with the fact that this would be the extent of our contact for the foreseeable future.

''I will. You take care not to break anything on the ice now. Love you B.'' That rascal, bullying me about my inability to keep both feet under control. Not that it had been an issue at all this last week. Maybe that's another added bonus of whatever this curse is.

''Love you too A!'' I can hear the sad sigh before the click of her terminating the call. It was something she would have to deal with, but it would hopefully get better.

I put my phone in the charger next to my bed and started working. First I got my bag and hauled it up into the attic, nearly falling off of the ladder in the process. Then I got all the winter clothes I might use often and put it on the rack next to the entrance. Next was gathering up all the old photos of me as a kid from my summers here any placing it in one of the drawers. Then barbies and old toys went into a plastic bag, aimed for the garbage.

I changed my mind on a whim, thinking that maybe some of the kids down at the rez might like some of them. They were still in good condition, having barely been played with for a few weeks at a time. And Charlie probably knew someone that could think of a new home for these old gems. Thus, I repacked them better, taking care not to break anything.

My bedroom being done, I moved on to the bathroom. My little bag of toiletries was emptied, and the items dispersed in their proper locations. The unmentionables that Charlie would have a stroke if he found was hidden in the bag underneath the sink. Counting days, I realized with a groan that my cycle should start some time this weekend. Go my body! Way to start off the first few days at a new school. I just hope I won't literally bite off someones head.

I shake the thought out of my head, before going downstairs. There is two empty cans of beer left on the living room table, along with a used plate. Charlie could at least feed himself, even though he lacked the cleaning up skills to match. Could be that the last few days had been extra hectic for him, with me coming to live here.

Getting a washcloth from the kitchen, I clean the table and take the plate to the dishwasher, which was actually empty. Looking around I can see evidence of him actually having cleaned most things down here recently. So perhaps I judged too quick.

I hear Charlie park the cruiser outside before I can _see_ him, fumbling with the keys at the door. ''It's open!'' I yell out to him, laughing as I hear him jump and loose his keys in surprise. I knew I had inherited my klutzy behavior from both sides, but it wasn't often I noticed it in Charlie.

''Hey Bells!'' He calls out as he enters the house, hanging up his coat on the rack. I _see_ him walking over to the dresser near the stairs, where by the sound of wood sliding and a heavy thunk, I guess he stores his gun. I would have thought Charlie to have a gun safe, being a police officer. A good example and such. But it was good to know in case of emergencies. I briefly wonder what would happen if I got shot. Could I heal from a gunshot? I don't want to risk it, so I take out the shades from my pocket at put them on.

''So what are you up to?'' Charlie asks as he rounds the corner into the kitchen. He's still in his sheriff uniform, all beige and cool. It made him look very official, and it suited him.

''I was just cleaning the house, but apart from my room, you seem to have had that covered.'' I lean my back against the counter. ''Want me to start dinner?''

''Actually, I was thinking we might head to the diner, if you're up for it?'' I immediately got excited, remembering the old place we used to eat out at. The berry cobbler there was amazing!

''The Carver Café? They're still there after all these years?'' I'm actually astonished. With how everything is becoming big chains, multi-million dollar corporations, a small diner in the middle of nowhere could still be open after all these years?

''Still the best place in town to get some grub.'' Charlies eyes crinkle with his smile, and I feel giddy with anticipation. ''Let me just take a quick shower first, OK?'' He doesn't wait for a response, having seen my reaction, and walks up to the bathroom.

I rush upstairs and get out a new pair of brown leather boots my mom and Phil had bought for me. They're a bit of a tight fit, but I don them, and head back downstairs with my laptop. Sitting on the couch, thumping my legs to the beat of a song by Gary Jules I was listening to called 'mad world.' Strangely fitting now that I think about it.

I smile to myself, before continuing to browse the internet to pass the time, waiting for Charlie to come back down. I can't _see_ him from where I am seated, the passive range of my new strange perception being limited. Wouldn't want to spy on him taking a shower anyway, but it could be an issue in the future. From what I gather, the range would be great enough for me to passively _see_ him from my bedroom.

I tried to meditate, sitting back in the couch and taking measured breaths. Focusing on just my own breathing, I calmed my mind. I tuned out the song playing in the background, the sound coming from the occasional car in the distance. A dull hum, and my breathing was all that was left. I even managed to tune out my own breathing.

The energies around me seem to settle into place more than they have ever been. Outlines become clearer, and I can actually _see_ different... colors. Or tastes. It was hard to pinpoint, but there was a difference to the wooden floorboards as opposed to the small tree next to the house. The tree outside felt vibrant, alive. And the floor seemed... dormant. Like it was still alive, but diminished.

Even the hardwood table in front of me looked different than the floorboards. A touch... darker? Like it was choking. I could _see_ lines of energy underneath the metal and plastic keyboard of my laptop. Electricity in the cable running to it like sharp pulses in rapid succession. The screen was pulsing a tad faster, rippling like waves across the surface. I noticed I couldn't see what the screen projected, only the energy running through it.

Five toes in the step at the middle of the stairs appear like out of thin air. I can see he was a partially ingrown nail on his big toe. I can also see every blood vessel in his foot, as they are _brighter_ than the surrounding flesh. I can _see_ them bulge infinitesimally with his heartbeat. I can _see_ his feet widen slowly as he places his weight on the foot, the other one coming into range shortly after.

And I realize that time was somehow moving slower for me again, like when I hit Justin. I jump up of the couch, trying to stop this thing. It worked, but the poor table, and my knee, took some punishment for it.

''Bella?!'' Charlie called out, thundering his way down the rest of the stairs. I hurriedly secure my shades on my face, before rubbing my knee excessively. It hadn't really hurt that much to be honest, and I could feel the tickle of it healing quickly. My powers had activated in my distress, and I closed my eyes just to be sure.

''Just being my own clumsy self, dad.'' I lie effortlessly, realizing with sadness that this was also going to be a common thing in the future. Lying to my dad would be more challenging than Renèe though, as he was trained to discern lies.

''Shit, that scared me.'' Charlie bemoans with a huff, having finally come around the corner. ''Why the shades indoors?'' I calm enough to feel my powers receding, opening my eyes again.

''To reduce the strain on my eyes when I use the laptop. And I love them. They're new. Aren't they cool?'' I want to curse my habit of oversharing when lying, but that would be way too obvious. Charlie looks at me oddly, but doesn't push it anymore.

''You ready to go?'' He asks, pointing to the door. I close my laptop softly, before stamping over to the door, getting my jacket. Charlie laughs at my enthusiasm. ''Make sure you don't fall on the bottom step. It's iced over.'' He cautions, following me out.

I manage to get in the cruiser without falling, not that it felt like an accomplishment. The sun was hidden behind the clouds at this point, and dangerously close to the horizon.

''Did you hear from the school today?'' I asked Charlie as we pulled out of the driveway.

''Yeah, they called me earlier. It seems you're in luck, they managed to squeeze you in starting Monday.'' He proclaimed proudly. If I were to hazard a guess, I would think he had leveraged his position to make that happen, based on his tone.

''That's great!'' Not that I was all for rushing it, but starting on a Monday would make it less of an issue for the other kids. I hope.

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I was completely stuffed as I got into the cruiser again, while Charlie was dealing with the bill. I was about to take my phone out to text Audrey, when the hairs on the back of my neck stood on edge. The familiar chill ran down my spine, and I felt my new perception spread wide.

In the tree on the other side of the road. I reflexively closed my eyes, though it did little to quell the discomfort of looking upon the source. A person was crouched on one of the branches halfway up the pine. The signature was so bright it hurt to focus on it, but I could tell it was looking at _me._ Like a silvery neon orb in a sea of yellow trees. This was someone supernatural.

Turning around, I tried to look through the rear window at whoever was out there, but even with my enhanced vision it was hopeless. Unless I took of my shades. All I could make out was a shadow with them on. Faster than I finished the thought, the shadow stood up, and disappeared. I managed to make out that whoever was out there, wasn't very large in stature, likely smaller than myself even.

Then I noticed Charlie was just about to get out of the diner, so I closed my eyes and focused on happy thoughts. Which was hard considering how fucking scared I was. Feeling the range shrink back down by the time Charlie was at the cruiser, I felt confident to open my eyes again.

''What's the matter Bella? You look like you've seen a ghost.'' Dad asks after he started the car, giving me a look over. I could guess why, with my newfound panic. How many supernatural beings are there? What are the odds to find one the day after moving here?

''Shadows are playing tricks on me I think.'' Well if I didn't have this other supernatural sense, that would probably have been true, had I even known to look. Why was someone _stalking_ me? How could someone _know_?

''You saw something?'' Charlie doesn't let it go, looking out into the forest around us. It could have been by chance. I hope it was. But my reaction, staring straight into their exact position, camouflaged by their surroundings. That was bound to have got that someone curious. Fuck.

''It was probably just my imagination. New surroundings in the dark can be scary.'' I brush it off, not wanting him to worry. But I worry. I don't know the intent of the person that was looking at me. What if whoever it was wanted to hurt me. Or Charlie. The crouched stance in a tree suggests a predatory nature.

''Just be careful out here Bells. There's lots of wild animals in these woods.'' I almost wanted to laugh, considering my little outing earlier. I don't think there's many animals that could even hurt me at this point. But I wasn't so sure for whatever supernatural being was stalking me.

''Sure thing dad.'' I answer just to put his mind at ease. And that was that, case dismissed, car in motion. Next stop, home. With my eyes closed, I kept my senses spread wide just in case.

 **AN: So it ended up a bit longer than usual, but hey. Better with longer than standard rather than shorter xD Hope you enjoyed!**


	6. First Day

**AN: So I know this is a month overdue. I won't bore you with the details as to why. But do know that I plan to make up for it by releasing two chapters by this time next month. I hope you all enjoy!**

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 **Deadly Affection – Reimagined**

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of it's characters. I just play around with them.

 **Chapter 6: First Day**

 **Bella PoV**

The window wasn't open, and I wasn't feeling famished as I woke up, so I guess absorbing a lot of energy could help with the nightly escapades. I let my power wash over me, finding it a lot easier than usual. My extrasensory vision spread far outside the house, and quite a distance into the forest. There was no indication of anyone special in the area, at least for as far as I could tell. Someone could be lurking further into the forest, but then they would not have good view of the house.

Charlie was out of the house by the time I woke up again. I hadn't set the clock the last few days, seeing as I had some time off, but that would have to change. Even the thought of coming late to class the first day made me queasy. I could _see_ the neighbors down the street were having breakfast, so it that late in the morning. My phone confirmed it, showing it was only nine forty-five. No missed calls or texts.

Feeling the additional strength out, I moved gently out of the bed. The movement felt as easy as floating in water. Looking down at my body, I noticed the muscle increase was a lot more prominent today. The wood of the floor creaked with each step as I went into the bathroom. My reflection smiled back at me, as I checked myself out.

I had never been particularly fit, being somewhat of a slouch in the training department. Other than the morning runs I used to take back in Arizona, I didn't really do much of the sort. I had always just sort of maintained my figure, with some selective eating. Be this curse, or gift, I sort of liked the added benefits. I liked what I saw in the mirror. I may be a freak, but that was neither here nor there.

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Sweat ran down my face from exertion, as I was back out in my little training ground in the forest. I was standing in the buff, my clothes neatly folded over on a rock. Even my boots. Smashing rocks was a lot more fun with a full cloak on, as instead of breaking, they kind of exploded instead. It did enlighten me with some new information though. It seemed even through my cloak I was not invulnerable, as some of the bigger, faster moving, shards of rock had managed to nick my skin a few times.

It had healed almost instantly, but the shock the first time had surprised me. A chill ran down my spine as I realized I wasn't as indestructible as I first thought. What that would mean for whatever supernatural entities I might encounter, I didn't know. But I knew I would have put away my batshit crazy idea of fighting a bear I had in the back of my mind, on hold indefinitely.

Letting the cloak fade, I walked over to one of the smaller trees, intending to do a different kind of training this time. I just hoped it was actually possible. Placing my right hand gently against the tree, I felt out the amount of energy the tree contained. It was a lot more than I knew I could safely absorb, and I wasn't nowhere near the drained state I had been yesterday.

If I was going to leave broken trees everywhere, that would draw attention eventually. Supernatural or otherwise. So I need to be able to stop this, before having to smash the poor things for my own safety. That or I would have to somehow work up my reserves to the point where I could drain a whole tree without pain. Could have that as a long-term goal, though that might also create a problem. A bunch of rotting dead trees everywhere would be almost as suspicious as broken ones.

With a long exhale, I calmed my mind. Focusing only on the task at hand. Draining some energy, then stopping. I felt nervous, sensing the well of energy in the palm of my hand. I really hope this works.

A cautious whisper in my mind initiated the transfer, as my arm felt a warm stream, soothing like water, being channeled into me. The sensation was intoxicating. It was like the colors of the forest shone out at me. As if the snow wasn't even there. I could _see_ all the colors in my mind, clear as day.

It was so much more intense now than I could remember. I felt pure glee. It felt so right.

A nagging thought in the back of my mind drew my attention away from the revelry. I had a task set before me. No matter how great this felt, I had to stop it. A part of me didn't want to. It never wanted to stop feeling this rush. And it scared me.

With an outcry of anger, I ripped my hand off of the tree. And for a short moment I thought I had done it. But the warmth streaming into my hand didn't stop. The air shimmered ever so slightly between my hand and the tree, like heat of the tarmac a hot summer day. I could _see_ that the stream of energy being drained hadn't stopped, only slowed slightly.

Several more steps backwards, and the stream didn't subside in the slightest. The cloak had emerged sometime earlier, and now it was growing bigger again. I needed to stop this.Immediately.

All my powers had so far had reacted to my thoughts, so I tried to command it in my mind. _**Stop!**_

The stream wavered, but only for the fraction of a moment. I could feel my body reaching the limit of how much energy it could hold quickly, and a flash of panic ran through me.

My left hand flew in front of my right in an attempt to stop the stream physically, only to hit air. Yet the cloak gripped something. My actual hand felt strange. I didn't feel anything, yet I could _feel_ a force flowing through it. As if the air was denser, and flowing in the direction of my hand.

I gripped tight down on the air, trying to choke it out. The tighter I squeezed, the harder it became. Like trying to stop water leaking out of a broken pipe. The more pressure I applied, the more force it would flow past my fingers with.

But the stream had slowed. It gave me confidence. Focusing every ounce of strength in my hand, I brought it all to bear down on the stream in my clutches. The snow beneath me hissed, and the dirt parted as the feet of my cloak dug into the earth in exertion.

I could feel my skin stretch, as the muscles beneath my skin grew bigger. The energy I was draining was being pushed into my left arm, forcing the muscles to bulge obscenely. I cried out as I felt a bone break in my forearm, but gritted through it, gripping even tighter.

And finally my grip closed down completely, stopping the stream of energy. But it didn't retreat. Like a hose being bent to stop the flow of water, it still pushed against my closed fist.

My mind flashed back to yesterday. How I had sent a pulse of energy from my palm that ended up destroying the tree. When I had shouted pure energy at it that disrupted the stream of energy. Granted, said tree had disintegrated, but maybe I could instead try to stop the flow by pushing back it back into the tree.

My left had was quickly going numb from the pain and effort I was exerting, and I decided to give this wacko idea a shot. If it failed, I could just blow the tree up again. So I released my death-grip on the funnel of energy in my hand as carefully as I could, wincing as my muscles relaxed, moving the broken bone.

The stream resumed as soon as I did so, and soon after I could feel the strain. I exhaled, focusing my mind on the palm of my right hand, imagining a wall. Almost instantly the flow of energy started slowing down. The burning of my broken arm healing threatened to steal my focus, but I willed myself to ignore it.

Finally I stopped absorbing any of the energy, it being stopped completely in my palm. The pressure also seemed to have lessened, though not by much. I closed my eyes, telling the wall to push back carefully. I couldn't stop a grin as I _saw_ it work, but it broke my concentration enough for the snap of my bone realigning to make me loose focus all together. In my panic I instinctually pushed forwards with more force, sending the 'wall' smashing into the tree.

The impact released a shower of splinters, but as the debris cleared I could see there was only superficial damage. Some of yellowish wood beneath the bark was visible, but the cold lack of energy was not present. The tree would heal itself, eventually. Probably. Hopefully?

''Fuck yeah!'' I shouted as loud as I could, jumping for joy. Smacking my head in the branches above me as I jumped way too high, stopped my revelry short. The cloak saved me from hurting myself, but it snapped back into the forefront of my mind, the need for secrecy.

Spreading my awareness as far as I could in this state, being several times further than normal, I found nothing but the usual critters of the forest. Some two hundred meters north I _saw_ a few deer looking in my general direction. Perhaps they had heard me shout. But there was nothing supernatural around.

I walked back to my stuff, calming my mind and pushing the cloak back into my body. My skin felt stretched from the amount of energy I had absorbed, but hopefully it would keep me topped of for tomorrow. I had stuff to get done.

The trek back to the house was starting to feel familiar already, even though I had only gone up here twice. Perhaps whatever this curse is alters how I think as well. I pay it no mind, putting in my earbuds and started listening to Imogen Heap, clear the area. I note the time as being barely past noon, though it feels like I've been out here for hours.

Trudging back towards the house, I skip along with the beat. The snow flies everywhere as I more or less dance my way there. I don't know if my temperature is higher now, or if it's just that I don't feel the cold as much, but the snow melted quickly, making my clothes wet. When I got back to the house, I rushed up to my room and changed into a dry set of clothes. Then I went back down to the living room.

Clicking through the channels on the TV, my mind wanders. I'd be starting in a new school in two days. In a town where everyone probably knew each other from kindergarten. The prospect seemed a little daunting, but there was no coming around it. Part of me wished I had asked my dad for another week, but logically I knew that would be just as bad.

I started feeling chilly just sitting there in the living room, so I decided to get some wood to start the fireplace up. It wasn't actually necessary with all the electrical heating in the house, but I always loved the sound of crackling wood.

Not long after I sank back into the couch, feeling the heat beat against my skin. A mix of the heat and sound of the fire, and the background noise of the TV soon had me dozing off.

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The crack of the door hitting the wall startled me awake, and I was on my feet with power coursing through me before he even got through the door. He was leaning backwards, having opened the door with his shoe of all thing. In his hands were two large paper bags filled to the brim in front of his face. Realizing I don't have my shades around, I quickly closed my eyes, slumping back into the couch with a loud sigh.

''Shit!'' Charlie whispers to himself, placing his foot back down and coming inside.

''You nearly scared the shit out of me, dad!'' I yell at him, having sat back down and let the power recede again. He looks sheepishly back at me from behind the bags, muttering an apology. He barges into the kitchen, and having left the door open, I walk over and close it for him. The sun was down, but there was still some light out. I must have slept for hours. I could certainly feel a kink in my neck courtesy of the couch.

''Got a lot of fish fry from ol' Harry Clearwater. Remember him?'' Charlie asked as he piled the freezer full of the stuff. Guess what's for dinner. I turned around and looked at the fireplace. The fire had died out, but the embers still glowed behind the glass.

''Yeah, the old guy you used to go fishing with all the time, down at the rez, right?'' He had always been kind as far as I could remember. And he had a kid I played with once I think. ''He's gotta be what, late fifties?'' I jest, knowing how Charlie felt about getting old.

''He's not _that_ old.'' Charlie said begrudgingly, taking the bait hook, line and sinker. I couldn't stop a small smile from forming.

''Wasn't he talking of retirement ten years ago?'' The blush I had inherited from him spread across his face, before huffing indignantly. A chuckle escaped me, which quickly turned into laughter.

''He's barely a few years older than me, kid. Don't knock wisdom.'' He can see me about to laugh as it dawns on him. ''Oh I see how it is. Just remember. I'm a cop.'' He half threatened with a smile tugging at his lips. I only laughed harder.

Charlie walked past me towards the window, looking out to the street like he was expecting someone. ''Expecting company?'' I asked him, looking out the window with him.

''Yeah, we're having Billy and his kid Jacob over for dinner and to watch the game. Should have been here by now.'' Charlie responded, still looking down the street. His furrowed brows relaxed, as he spotted them down the road. A huge red truck roared it's way up the street.

''What, trying to hook me up with boys before I've even started school?'' I jest, crossing my arms in front of me, trying to look appalled.

''I thought you liked Jacob?'' Charlie joked back, wiggling his eyebrows.

''I was a kid. He ate _mud!_ '' I exclaimed with feigned disgust. He was a few years younger than me. I could still remember that day though. Those were happier times.

''So did you, if memory serves.'' Dad laughed back, and I quickly joined him. I could feel the blush heating up my face. ''Anyway, me and Billy's going to be watching the game. You and Jacob could probably kill a few hours, right?''

''Yeah, It would be nice to catch up. Hey, does he go Forks high?'' I ask as we walk over to the front door. As we exit I see Jacob getting a wheelchair set up for Billy, which surprised me enough to slow down. Then again it's been like ten years since I met the man.

''No, they have a school down at the reservation he goes to I think. All the kids down there goes to the same school'' I could hear some dissatisfaction in his voice, but he didn't comment further. Charlie rushed over to say hello while I stayed back, taking in the scene.

Jacob had grown a lot in that time. I could still see some baby fat in his face, and the barest hints of facial hair starting to appear on his lip. He was probably going to end up looking quite handsome in a few years.

Billy on the other hand had seen better times. His hair was still pitch black, not a gray hair in sight. But his face seemed vapid. Tired. Recalling back to one of the summers I spent with dad, I remember him telling me Billy lost his wife in a car crash. And I can't remember us ever going back down to the rez any summers after that.

Having greeted them both, Charlie leaned up against the car. Turning towards me and opening his mouth to speak, I turned my attention to him fully. ''So. What do you think?'' He asked, a smile gracing his lips. They all looked to me, waiting for my reaction, but I couldn't figure out what for.

''About what?'' I asked confused. Jacob chuckled as soon as I spoke, and even Billy grew a smile. I was just about to feel like the butt of a joke, when Charlie spoke again.

''About the truck.'' His smile grew even wider at my shocked expression. Was he suggesting what I thought he was? No way.

''You not... No. Seriously? Noooo...'' This would make things _so_ much easier for me. Like finding somewhere to train that wasn't a ten minute hike behind my house. Anyone who found that mess could come over asking questions. Of some unfriendly supernaturals could... I balked at the thought. I really need to clean that mess up. To be safe.

''Just bought it off of Billy here. Think of it as a coming-home present.'' Dad chortled, smiling from ear to ear from my reaction.

''That's just... Too much!'' I half-screamed as I jumped at him in a hug, screaming thank you over and over into his shoulder. Seconds passed before I released him, looking behind him to the beast of a truck that would be mine shortly. It was an old red Chevy, made out of what looked to me like steel. It was big. Hopefully it would be hardy enough to deal with my curse.

''I overhauled the engine not too long ago, so it should run for another couple of years, at least.'' Jacob said enthusiastically, tossing me the keys and moving over to the passenger side. I snatch them clear out of the air, feeling everything slowing down slightly. I quickly center myself, letting go of the power in me, before hopping into the truck.

As I sit down in the seat, I adjust it and the rear view mirror to suit me. Charlie and Billy enters the house as Jacob gets into the passenger seat and turns to me.

''So ehh, the engine still makes a lot of noise. And you got to double-pump the clutch when you shift. But other than that, you ehh, should be good.'' He sounds a little nervous which kind of reminds me of monday morning.

''Okay, nice.'' I know that Jacob isn't Justin, but I still have to make an effort to force the comparison out of my head. Probably should kick this little fascination of his in the bud, while I still have the chance.

''So am I right to understand that you're mechanically gifted?'' I jested, trying to get him to relax. His shoulders drop as he noticeably gets more comfortable, having a subject he knows to talk about.

''You could say that. I'm even working on my own car, for when I get my license.'' A smug smile emerged on his face.

''Still the little dork I remember.'' Ruffling his long black hair into a mess had him shouting for me to stop.

''So you do remember me?'' His voice was a little quieter this time, like it pained him to remember. I could imagine why.

''Of course! How was I supposed to forget you eating mud?'' I joked, pushing his shoulder. Hopefully I could cheer him out of whatever funk he had gotten into.

''So did you! And you were older than me!'' He joked back, mood back up to chuckle levels. I pretended to look aghast.

''What, me? Why, I would never!'' I try to mimic Audrey's posh english accent, but fail horribly. I still get a laugh out of Jacob though. And I laugh with him, just enjoying the innocent moment of reminiscing.

''But seriously Jacob. You still remember that? You were what, four?'' I ask as the laughing dies down. I immediately regret it as I see his mood take a dip again. It's kind of sad to see how much he's clung to the memories of before... But I understand it. When the true extent of my own curse reveals itself, I will probably be the same. It was kind of bizarre, knowing I should logically be terrified and angry with what was going on with me, but somehow not reacting to it.

''Just Jake.'' He says quietly, looking at the dashboard.

''I'm sorry for your loss.'' He grunts in response. I can't figure out anything else to say on the matter. It was a long time ago, but it was obviously still affecting him. I feel kind of mad at myself for not being considerate enough to seek him out after I heard. We had been friends. I should have been there.

The atmosphere is stifling in the cab, so I do the only thing that comes to mind. Start the engine. I want to say it purred like a kitten, but my poor ears would beg to differ. It sounds like a tractor, even from the inside.

''So. What's the best place to get ice-cream at this time on a saturday?''

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Time flew by as me and Jake got to talking, him having opened up a lot more once he got some ice-cream. I swear, this stuff is like... human magics. Side thought, maybe some supernatural being came up with this stuff? Would not surprise me at all. Okay, maybe a little.

He told me about his friends and the shenanigans they got into at school. Part of me was impressed, hearing about the crazy pranks they pulled. Part of me was scared he would pull some on me. Hopefully my status as a cute, older girl will keep me safe.

We had gotten back home in time for dinner, dad and Billy already eating in front of the TV. They were hollering about failed plays and home-runs. Jake joined in, while I ate quietly with them. Fish fry so close after chocolate-chip-and-brownie ice-cream tasted weird, but not overall bad. It was fun watching the boys enraptured by the screen.

During the commercial break of the third inning, me and Jake went up to my room. We talked for over an hour about fun stuff we had gotten up to since the last time we had met. I even got around to telling him a heavily narrated version of my incident with Justin. He had laughed, gasped and gaped in quick succession when I told him about the damage I did to him. I could quite clearly see I earned a few extra notches in the respect department after that.

I had asked what his sisters were up to, which ended up being a sore subject. They had left shortly after their mother had died. They weren't able to cope with all the memories La Push held. Jake put on a brave face after that, changing the subject back to more fun topics.

After that little setback, were having so much fun we didn't realize the game had been done for quite some time, and Billy and Jake had to leave. And since I now own the car they arrived in, Charlie had to drive them back.

I was out like a light before he even made it home, being exhausted from the long day.

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

I woke up nice and early, before the alarm had even gone off. I had set it to get back into the rhythm of waking up early, but the gnawing in my stomach had made that moot. The butterflies were here in force.

I realized with a groan that I had forgotten to pack any sort of school stuff, which included my bag and anything to write with or on. The cold sweat had me jump out of bed and into an early shower. I could still hear dad snoring in his room as I walked past it on the way back to my room. Getting dressed, I went downstairs with my laptop and set up in the living room.

First on the docket was a list of things I needed to get done in order to prepare for school tomorrow. Being such a small town, I didn't expect any of the stores to be open on a sunday. I hoped Charlie might have some writing supplies and a backpack lying around I could use, or else I might be boned.

I looked up the local outdoors store on the web, finding out they actually was open today, although they didn't have any school gear. It would be nice to get a nice warm winter jacket, if not just to keep up appearances.

They did have openings for a job though, which was another thing I would have to consider to sustain my awesome new car in the future. Hearing, and _seeing_ dad starting to trundle around upstairs, I decided to head out for a short walk. It made me feel icky, not being able to give him proper privacy. Not that he knew, but still.

There was a chilly wind out today, and having forgotten the shades I didn't dare to boost up my tolerance supernaturally. It felt kind of good, knowing I could still be affected like this. Made me still feel kind of human. The sun was just about to rise behind the clouds, so it was getting brighter by the minute.

Walking up the hill along the road, I looked for somewhere to sit down and enjoy the view. There were no overlooks close by, but a little up the road I found a small clearing in the forest that made it possible to see for miles. Leaning up against a tree, I just stood there, taking in the sight. Small zooming blips of shadows in the sky told of birds already out looking for breakfast.

It made me feel really small, looking out at the vastness of the wilds that was near Forks. It calmed the butterflies enough for me to forget them all together.

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

The cacophony that was my alarm scared the ever-living shit out of me. I had gone to sleep dreading waking up, and as such I didn't really sleep all that well. Dragging the shell that was me out of bed and into the bathroom was a chore, and every step felt like my legs would suddenly give out. Or that was just what I was hoping. Who knows.

Charlie was downstairs making breakfast. Frying something in the pan by the _looks_ of it. I hope it's eggs and bacon. I could really go for eggs and bacon right about now. Getting back into my room, I dressed for the day, and got my borrowed backpack, then went down to the kitchen. I rounded the corner with a beaming smile aimed for Charlie, having smelled that he was in fact making eggs and bacon.

''Ready for the big day kiddo?'' Charlie asked, handing me a plate filled with food. The blank stare he got in return made him laugh. ''Guess not.'' He was already dressed for work, sans the belt.

''I slept so damn bad last night. I'm so going to make a fool out of myself somehow with how bloody tired I am.'' I huffed out as I sat down at the table. I was feeling really hungry today, not having gone out to train or drain anything yesterday. My window wasn't open though, so now I knew I could go a day without any nightly outings.

''You'll be fine Bells. You got this.'' Dad-mode was engaged, but I didn't mind. I needed a proper pep talk right about now. ''Just remember not to punch anyone on your first day.'' Or not.

''Ouch! Charlie, no fair!'' He only laughed at my outburst, much to my dismay. We ate mostly in silence, dad reading an old newspaper. I was foreseeing various scenarios happening at school, ranging from dreadful embarrassment to fuck-my-life levels of nope.

''Anything you need before I go?'' Charlie asked getting up from the chair. I wasn't really expecting much from the first day, other than taking notes and paying for lunch. And being socially awkward, but I had that down to a science.

''I'm good dad, everything is set. Have a nice day.'' With a nod, he went to get his belt and gun, then was out the door. I still had some time before I needed to leave. But at this point I was actually getting scared I might just ditch school if I didn't just jump into it now. And thus, I grabbed my black backpack, donned my new dark blue winter jacket, and was out the door.

The thundering roar of the engine kept me from thinking too much on the way too school. Reaching the parking lot, I found it nearly empty. Going with the safe option of not parking right next to the entrance, god forbid I piss off any of the 'popular' kids before I've even really started. The sputtering of the engine dying made room for reflection, which I promptly crushed by getting started. It would be about half an hour before classes started, but I had to get my schedule for the day first anyway, so off I was to find the receptionist.

Ms. Cope was a kind older woman with red hair that was in the later stages of turning gray. Her thick glasses and soft voice made me think of my grandmother. She preened herself on being responsible for my starting today, which at this point felt more like torture. It would feel that way the first day regardless though, so I was actually thankful that she managed to acquiesce to my desire.

Having the map of the school, timetable and the admission slips for my classes in hand, I headed for building three. English with a Mr. Mason, what a way to start the morning. The door was closed and there was no one around, so I sat down at a bench next to the classroom and started to doodle in my notebook.

I really needed help if I ever wanted to get any good at drawing. I started my fourth attempt at drawing a chibi version of Aslan, when I was interrupted by a tall asian boy with dark black hair.

''Ehh... Would you happen to be Isabella?'' He sounded fairly certain, but nervous. Guess this was what Forks High had to offer in the welcoming committee department.

''That would be correct. But just Bella, please.'' I replied courteously, putting away my notepad and stood up. Putting my hand out in his direction, he shook it firmly, and I suddenly realized he taller than me, by a lot.

''Yorkie, Eric Yorkie. I'm the eyes and ears of this place. Anything you need? Tour guide? Lunch date? Shoulder to cry on?'' His mask of bravado was thin, and the line felt rehearsed which made it even worse. I would guess he's more of the geeky chess club kind of guy than anything else. It was kind of funny watching his smile break as I just stared dumbly at him.

''I think I'm good, thanks.'' The fake smile hurt me inside, but I didn't want to get on his bad side, even though what he said was really fucking creepy. His smile came back as I spoke, and I could almost imagine seeing the cogs in his brain turn.

''I can work that as the headline for the feature. I'm on the paper, and you're news baby, front page.'' A feeling of dread washed over me as the words left his mouth. I didn't need my life prodded about and details of, let's say, why I'm even here to come out. Who was I kidding, someone in this tiny town was bound to have heard rumors, or at least made some up. And whatever they were would have already spread like wildfire in that case. I could go without it going into print in any case.

''Please don't! I don't want any more attention that I already have, being the new girl. Please?'' He seemed shocked at first, but quickly turned into an understanding smile.

''Chill, Bella. I understand completely. No story.'' Add easy-going and understanding to traits to associate with Eric. The sound of the door being unlocked stole our attention away. I immediately got the feeling that I would not like this guy, presumably Mr. Mason. He was a tall dude with a serious case of male pattern baldness, keeping the remaining hair on his head cropped short.

The circus had begun.

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

English class was as boring as ever. Good side was the assignment we were given was to read a book I'd read at least a dozen times already. Eric was fun to talk to, when the awkwardness of first introducing himself faded. He had me genuinely laughing on our way to my next class. Government with a Mr. Jefferson would be a real test, in Eric's opinion. Thus he assigned himself the chivalrous task of escorting me to my doom.

''Thanks for the help Eric. Save me a seat at lunch?'' I didn't want to burden him, but it would spare me the awkwardness that was first lunch at a new school.

''See you at lunch, fair lady.'' He exclaimed with an overly-done bow, before retreating to the sound of my laughter.

I turned around to step into the classroom that was rapidly filling up, when the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.

 **AN: So I thought about letting this go further, but I decided against it. I want the next chapter to drag out the first encounter enough for it to be somewhat realistic within this story. No one-pump chump happy forever after meeting in this one.**


	7. Official Meetings

**AN: I hope this is as much fun to read as it was to write for me. Enjoy!**

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

 **Deadly Affection – Reimagined**

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of it's characters. I just play around with them.

 **Chapter 7: Official Meetings**

 **Bella PoV**

The blinding light that I had seen near the diner was making my brain hurt. I don't know how I didn't think of it before now. Why wouldn't there be supernatural beings in high school? I was. The silvery neon ball of light was a little larger than what I saw that night though, meaning there was more than one of them around.

Barely missing a beat, I walked inside and gave Mr. Jefferson the admission slip which he signed. Then I walked past the boy sitting in the front row, every fiber of my being screaming in warning. Sitting down all the way in the back, I wondered if he had even noticed my presence. He hadn't moved an inch. In fact, he was unnaturally still. To the point of almost looking like a statue.

He had tousled dark red, almost bronze hair and an insanely pale skin tone. Suddenly he moved, twisting his head to the side. His nose flared, as he was trying to smell something. From this angle I could see his square, angled jaw, with high cheekbones, making him look almost like a Leonardo da Vinci sculpture. He looked _too_ pretty to be human. How did everyone else not notice that?

With another sudden motion, his eyes locked with mine. _Shit!_ I must have been staring like a lunatic. Flustered and on edge, I looked down at my backpack and took out my notepad and pen, trying to act as natural as I could.

I could _see_ him turn back to the front of the room just as the teacher rose from his chair, beginning the lecture. His posture was relaxed even with how still he seemed.

I didn't manage to follow the lecture at all. I was focusing the entire time on not bursting into a full cloak in the middle of class. The proximity to another supernatural being made my brain scream bloody murder. To power up and run the fuck away. That would have been a fucking disaster and a half.

The sound of the bell ringing spooked me, but my muscles were locked in place, not moving an inch. My eyes were squarely at this dudes back all the way out the door, and I didn't relax until I saw him leave my _vision_ down the hall.

I was merely a walking automaton as this other kid that had been in my class introduced himself. I noted blue eyes, but I didn't listen to a word he said, or respond to him in any way. I merely walked to my next class, being diligent in my scanning for other supernatural beings.

I even went as far as to walk part of the way with my eyes closed, and powers unleashed to the point where it encompassed most the building I was in. There was another supernatural dude a few classrooms away from mine. He was built like a fucking tank. How could anyone believe a guy that size was human. Or on some serious growth hormones. It just isn't natural to be like two meters tall and built like a bodybuilder at 18! Wonder how much he can bench... Are whatever these guys are really strong, like me? A brief wonder of what the laws of physics would have to say about supernatural creatures occupied my mind enough to loose focus.

I nearly stumbled into a girl at the door. A human, thankfully. We both excuse ourselves, waiting for the other to move, only to then start moving again at the same time. She laughs in embarrassment as I blush like crazy, temporarily pulling me out of my spying ways.

''Hey... you're the new girl? Isabella?'' She asked timidly, curling a lock of her brown hair in front of her. She is quite pretty, by humans standards at least. This has me scoff at my own thoughts. Apparently I don't consider myself human at some level.

''Just Bella. And yes, I am.'' As the blush leaves my face, I remember that I've got my eyes closed all the way because of the whole glowing situation. She shouldn't be able to glance through my shades to notice easily, but in close proximity and staring she might. With some trepidation I pull back on my powers and open my eyes to actually look at her.

''I'm Jessica Stanley. It's really nice to meet you.'' Her hand extended and I shake it carefully, scared I might hurt her if I'm not careful. I really need to learn to restrain my powers better when close to other supers. If this whole Forks deal is going to have any success that is. Were there supers in Phoenix?

''Stanley! Class is starting, come in and close the door.'' The teacher's shrill voice sounds from inside. He doesn't seem to have seen me from the angle of my entrance, and I kind of want to bolt. But there is no backing out of this one. It's this or bust. I don't think mom or Charlie could afford to home-school me in any case.

Trig really isn't my favorite subject. I like math in general, but trigonometry has always somehow managed to annoy me with its many decimals. And this fucking teacher isn't helping much as he demands I take off my glasses in class. And he has the gall to make me introduce myself! I half-entertained the thought of socking him in the jaw, only to remember Charlie's words this morning with a wry smile.

My heart rate did slow down somewhat, thanks to Jessica. She had elected to pick the chair next to me, and as such was whispering to me constantly. Even the teacher chiding her didn't stop her from pestering me about my life. She did ask for help with the math though, which made me feel better.

And as the bell rang for the last class before lunch I was pleased to find that she shared the next class with me as well. Spanish with Mrs. Goff was pretty uneventful. I chose to sit near the front to discourage Jessica from prattling my ear off. There was also no supernaturals nearby, so my headache that was forming calmed down somewhat. But all too soon, the bell rang again.

Jessica immediately started to herd me towards the cafeteria to sit with her at lunch. As we entered I was pleased to notice there were only humans here. I picked out a slice of pizza for lunch and sat down at Jessica's table, pleased to see Eric sitting at the same table. The blue eyed kid from my government class is also here, along with two other girls and a third boy I don't recognize.

''Hey again, Bella.'' Eric says with a wave as I sit down. I only nod in response, not trusting my voice at the moment. My whole body is tense, and I put on my shades, expecting my eyes to flare up again as soon as company arrives.

''Smiiile!'' One of the girls chirps, shoving a camera into my face just before the flash goes off. The shades definitely came in handy as I feel my eyes glow after the surprise photography. ''Sorry, I needed a candid for the feature.'' Her expression seems genuine, so I just let it slide.

''The feature is dead, Angela!'' Eric exclaims as he gets up, seemingly coming to my defense. I was torn between being grateful for his firm stance on the matter, and annoyed with his seeming familiarity. He puts a hand on my shoulder and seeming goes in to whisper into my ear, before suddenly pulling away awkwardly. I _see_ him looking at me strangely, then walk away quickly.

Good thing too, as every fiber of my being screams to run. Walking along the outside of the building, I _see_ five bright neon life-signs that makes my head feel like splitting in twain. I grab my head with both hands and look towards the exit as they enter the room. Jessica and Angela is talking behind me, but I can't make them out as I stare at the five inhumanly beautiful beings coming in.

I feel someone poke my rib and nearly burst into full cloak right then and there. Turning around way too fast, I glare at Jessica who seems taken aback.

''Bella?'' She questions. Shit. I've opened my eyes as I turned around, and I can see my eyes glow in the reflection from my shades. I quickly shut my eyes again and put on a fake smile for her. It seems to reassure her.

''Staring at the Cullen's, huh?'' A look only a gossip queen could properly pull of forms on her face. ''They're doctor and Mrs. Cullen's foster kids. They moved down here from Alaska, like, a few years ago.''

''They kind of keep to themselves.'' Angela adds in whisper. That figures, as they aren't human. My guess would be their 'parents' were the same thing they are. It would be highly unlikely for two humans adopted all supernatural kids. So why do they go to school? If they had parents that understood they were special, why not home-school them? Keep them away from prying humans.

''Yes, because they are all _together.''_ Jessica adds with an air of scorn. I _see_ them walking in pairs only a few meters behind me. I grab the metal legs of the table and grip as tight as I can, to ground myself. The metal buckles in my hands. The one walking alone furthest in the back turns his head to me, as if he head the sound, even though Jessica and Angela don't notice it.

''They're not _actually_ related...'' Angela defends them from Jessica's implied incestuous relationships. Finding a partner as a human was troubling enough. I wonder what the supernatural dating scene was like. It seems they were lucky, to have found someone of their kind so young. Or it could be a beggars can't be choosers kind of deal.

''Still, they _live_ together... It's weird.'' Jessica's voice almost goes too high to be considered whispering. ''So, the blonde is Rosalie. She's with the big, dark haired guy, Emmett.'' She occasionally casts a glance over her shoulder at them as she points them out. Emmett seems to be the bodybuilder guy I sensed earlier, towering above the blonde. Rosalie is... Hot. As I _stare_ at her face, the brightness of their beings seems to recede somewhat. I would probably have noticed my brain screaming in thanks, if not for me just about ready to fuck everything up for myself.

''Next is Alice, the little dark-haired girl. She is _really_ weird.'' My _gaze_ focused on the little girl, being way shorter than even me. She looked non-threatening as she skipped alongside a deceptively ripped guy nearly two heads taller. Her eyes were big for her small face, giving her an almost elfish look. With how they all looked super cut and pretty, if not for their lack of point ears, I would have thought them to be elves. Then again, J.R.R. Tolkien work was fiction. Right?

''She always hangs around Jasper, the blonde one who looks like he's in pain.'' My attention turned to his posture. I could see how Jess thought it was pain, if he had been human. The impression he gave me was that he was trying to constrain himself from acting out. He was _dangerous_. The metal in my hand crumpled further, enough to make Jess notice and jump in surprise.

''Bella? Are you okay?'' The guy walking in the back of the group, alone, was staring into my back. His lips moved like he was talking, but I couldn't hear a sound. The others of his group all turned their heads simultaneously as they were sitting down. ''Bella? Hey...? Bella?'' I think he knows. Somehow, he knows. He had stopped moving completely, and turned his body in my direction, just standing in the cafeteria. The mouths of the other occupants at their table also move in a similar fashion, seemingly without making sound.

I grip around the wrist of an incoming hand moving to shake my shoulder. Jessica looks scared as my eyes blaze red behind my shades. I need to get out of here. Run. _Run!_

'' **I don't feel well**.'' The deep bass of my voice surprises even me, but I can't linger on it. I need to get the hell out of here. Grabbing my pack, I rush out the cafeteria, looking for somewhere to hide. I want to ditch everything in my locker, strip down, cloak up and run as fast away from here as I can. But that isn't an option. Charlie would find out. People could see me. Questions would be asked. The impossibility of the situation leads me to the cliché hiding spot of the little ladies room. Being the middle of lunch period, it's empty.

Setting my backpack down underneath the sink I tear off my jacket and shades, staring into my reflection. The shock of seeing my blazingly red pupils being slit vertically like a cat is numbed by the realization that I can still _see_ all the way to the cafeteria, without my cloak. The five beings are arguing at their table. Glad to see I messed up their day somewhat as well.

So how could it be that he found me out so quickly. The debate they're having seems way too lively to be only plausibility. The few tables close to theirs has even been vacated by the humans in a hurry. They have got to have increased hearing at least, as he had been drawn to the sound of bending the table leg. But he didn't see that I did it. Or my eyes. I didn't open my eyes in their direction after he noticed the sound.

And they can communicate without humans being able to hear. I wonder if a human would even be able to pick up the minute movement of their lips going at that speed. Oh fuck. They all got to hear Jess prattling about them. No wonder they keep to themselves. Listening to small town folks gossiping like they were sitting right next to you could not be charming.

I did stare at them, and hold my head with my hands like a lunatic. But they didn't seem to look back at me at the time. Anyway, that could just be circumstantial. So what did tip him off? Movement. The big guy, Emmett, tried to hold his girls wrist to stop her. I was staring at the tiled wall in their direction as I _saw_ them argue. The look on, what was it... Rosalie's face brought chills down my spine, and I wasn't even near her. Emmett's hand dropped quickly without a word. The last kid who I didn't get the name of spoke to Rosalie, before she turned in the direction of the door I had left from.

No. Fuck. NO. Fuck-my-life NO. She was not coming this way. No. Oh fuck. She was. Her stride was driven as she homed in on my location. The scared school-girl in my had me getting in one of the stalls, locking the door, and standing on the top of the toilet. I wanted to laugh at myself, but in vain hope I tried to stay as still and silent as I could. The seconds ticked by. The only sound I heard were my own heart racing in my chest.

And I felt even more stupid as I realized that if they could speak and hear things humans couldn't, they could probably hear my heartbeat in a closed off room. I unlocked the stall and went over to the window. It was a second story window on this side of the building, being on a slope close to the forest. Worst case scenario, I had jumped from taller places. I just hoped no one would see me. From a quick _look_ , this side of the building was almost empty. A couple of adult, probably teachers, were in one of the rooms across the hall, but they seemed occupied.

I unlatched the lock of the window as I started hearing the heels of the blonde clacking through the corridor outside. I wouldn't get the window open in time, before she came into the room, so I turned towards the door, readying for a confrontation.

With a bang, the door crashed against the tiled wall, and Rosalie stepped inside. The door closed behind her with another bang, as we squared off. She crossed her arms in front of her, leaning her hip against the sink, just staring at me for a second or two. An offhand thought of how beautiful she was got cut off as she clicked her tongue. She was staring directly into my eyes.

''So Edward was right. You're not human.'' Even the sound of her voice was beautiful, despite the cold edge to it. It was a weird sensation, time being slowed down, but still hearing her speak normally. Like watching a japanese movie dubbed to english in a sense. I elected not to answer, instead scrutinizing her for any sudden movement to warn of danger. ''But you're not one of us.'' She mused to herself. Her arms unfolded, and in reaction I bent my knees, readying for an attack.

''Say, what are you, per chance?'' Her words were amicable, but her tone held a dangerous edge to it. The fake smile adorning her face didn't help matters.

'' **Dangerous**.'' Was the only word that left me. I didn't want any supernatural who could possibly know more about my kind that I did any leverage. She could know of a weakness I did not. The glint in her eyes were all the warning I got.

In a flash, she closed the distance between us. I barely had the time to react, even with my cloak blowing apart my clothes instantly, and time slowing down even further. She seemed surprised by the emergence of billowing red energy around me. Enough for her to make a mistake. My taloned feet dug grooves into the tiled floor as I pushed forwards, stepping into her guard, and striking her center mass with an open palm punch.

The inertia of her movement and mass made it heavier than I imagined, nearly pushing the cloak into my palm. I could feel a lack of heat from her body as a mere whisper of red energy remained between us. The look on her face as she launched backwards into the mirror above the sink was priceless.

My face snapped in the direction of the cafeteria, as the guy apparently called Edward rose too quickly out of his chair, knocking it over. The others had reacted to the noise of her crashing into the wall by turning their heads, but he somehow knew before she even hit it. There was something off about him. In any case, she had backup coming. And Rosalie didn't seem any worse for wear, as she got out of the crater that was the wall and stood up like nothing happened. Other than her jacket being covered in plaster, and somewhat singed on the front.

A pissed-off expression marred her beautiful face. She did however, look put-off enough by my seeming ability to fight her off, to not go in for another try.

'' **I don't want to hurt you. Just leave me alone**.'' I muttered, before jumping backwards through the window, landing in a shower of glass. Thoughts running through my mind of how this would ruin everything. I _saw_ her peering over the edge of the window as I ran as fast as I could into the forest. So much for not ditching school, or causing a fuzz. The last thing I saw before getting out of range, was that the teacher in the other room were getting up, trying to find out what caused the ruckus.

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

So there I was, standing in the forest, completely naked. Like you do... I had run into unknown territory before I decided to stop in a clearing, close to a river. The sound of water rushing downstream calmed me enough to where my cloak almost receded. Almost. There was still too much adrenaline running through my system to stop trembling.

If that's even how my body works anymore. If I even have adrenaline in my body. _Fuck_.

I fell down to my knees in the snow. The cold didn't bother me thanks to the cloak, but a part of me wanted to. I wanted to feel cold. I wanted to feel helpless. I wanted to feel _human_.

I roared out in despair, causing birds to squawk as they fled to the skies all around me.

Seems like now was the time to have a breakdown of epic proportions.

I had fucked up in Phoenix. I had fucked up in Forks. Charlie would be... how do one even react to this.

Tears fell silently into the snow.

I couldn't stay. But I couldn't leave. I can't.

Renèe wouldn't be able to cope if I disappeared. And I don't know if Charlie would fare any better. At least Renèe has Phil to lean on. Dad doesn't have that.

Another roar, this time in anger, as I bring my hands down into the ground. Dirt explodes everywhere, but I don't care. Deep grooves are left in the wake of my fists, sinking little by little further into the ground.

A pain I haven't felt since the day I killed that bird erupts from my chest. Black markings burn my skin through the cloak, and heal up as soon as they appear. They swirl frantically over my body, pain giving way to rage.

The fury is all I feel as trees explode with each punch I land. Ten. Twenty.

The river is full of splinters by the time I notice it. A single neon-silver entity in range of my _vision._

It's the little one. Alice.

It brings me out of my rage, and the black markings all but recede. She has been standing still some ways away from me for some time. Leaning against a tree silently with her arms crossed in front of her. Her face belies the calmness of her stance. The slightly open mouth, the narrowed eyebrows. She is worried, maybe even scared.

As my eyes bore into her, I notice the strap around her right shoulder. My strap. Well, Charlie's strap. The backpack I was borrowing from him. She brought it for me?

Another revelation hits me as I have turned to her. I'm completely naked. The cloak may hold the weather at bay, but it by no means conceal my form. The warm rush of blood to my face alert me to a blush very much deserved, and I cover myself as best I can with my hands, turning a little sideways. I don't know if it helps any, as a smile spreads on Alice's face.

With the same dizzying speed that Rosalie rushed me with, Alice would have all but appeared in front of me if not for my powers. She had her back turned to me, and was seemingly untangling something from over my backpack.

''Here.'' The bells of her voice catch me off-guard, as she holds my jacket out in my direction. She is very intently not looking in my direction. Part of me still screams of danger, but her actions tell me otherwise. Why did Rosalie attack me, when Alice is standing her with her back to me.

It seems counter-intuitive, for one to consider me an enemy, and for the other to stand here with her back to me. She _just_ saw me wreck every tree in the vicinity. Does she truly believe that I wouldn't, or couldn't, actually hurt her?

A throb of anger arose in me at this little impertinent imp assuming I was unable to defend myself. I should show this...

''I'm sorry about Rosalie's rude behavior earlier. She's not really that good with people...'' Alice's voice sounds like bells and chimes, and it calms the resentment in me somewhat.

'' **Then why send her to be your emissary?** '' I question gruffly, again taken aback by the bass in my voice. Then again, I had not spoken to anyone while cloaked up before. Must be a side effect of it.

''We did not know your intentions, or your abilities. Rosalie can handle herself in a fight.'' She said it like it made perfect sense to attack first and ask questions later.

'' **Didn't stop me from getting a good lick in when she attacked me**.'' I huffed back at her, and Alice laughed in response. '' **What's so funny?** ''

After giggling some more, which while being infuriating, it also calmed me enough to drop the cloak, Alice replied. ''Well it kind of caught her off guard, you blowing up into full frontal nudity. Even Edward was shocked from that.'' More laughter, to my confusion and embarrassment. Why would Edward be shocked at that? He wasn't there. He hadn't seen me.

I pushed that away, as I moved onto more immediate concerns. ''So she wasn't actually attacking me?'' Alice's delightful laughter stopped, and she tapped her foot to one of the bigger pieces of wood left from my rampage.

''Well... She did. But she didn't intend to harm you. She only wished to assess how much of a danger you posed to us.'' Alice's voice was low and sheepish, the bell like quality somewhat gone.

''And?'' I said with baited breath. I was eager to hear the verdict, as it could hold a hint to my survival.

''She agreed with what you said. You're dangerous.'' The silence that settled between us was numbing. Not a breath was drawn for several seconds by either of us. Not a creature around us made a noise. Not even the wind blowing through the trees made a sound.

It meant if the worst came to pass, I could possibly hold my own against at least one of them, maybe more. But likely not all of them. And it meant they had made the choice to not attack again, as proved by Alice's presence.

''Then why trust me?'' Her shoulders which had been tense dropped down lower. She hadn't been completely sure I wouldn't attack her. The duplicity of it was understandable to me. We had come off to a bad start, but they wanted to offer a second chance. The repercussion of the first attempt was not ignored, but hope had taken its place.

''Because of the other thing you said. Rosalie isn't a good people-person, but she is a good judge of character. She believed you were telling the truth, when you said you didn't want to hurt her.'' Alice's words were sounded sincere, helped by the half-smile on her face. It felt like she was leaving something out, but that could probably wait.

These supernatural beings had decided they would trust me enough to let me live, at the very least. I took my jacket from her hand slowly, and pulled it around my body. I was glad I had gone with a jacket went almost down to my knees. Hearing the zipper being pulled up, Alice turned to face me with a gleaming smile.

''I'm Alice! I'm NOT weird. I'm awesome! Nice to meet you!'' The elf-like girl announced happily, holding her hand out for me to shake. The complete turn-around of emotions had me smiling as I shook it.

''Bella. Nice to make your acquaintance.'' I laughed as I recalled the words Jess used to describe her earlier. Seems like Alice doesn't appreciate being called weird. Noted.

''It's SO exciting to meet another friendly supernatural! Hmm...'' She was bouncing in place, arms held down at her sides, seemingly by force of will. ''Can I hug you? Please?'' It was hard not to giggle at this little girls giddy behavior, and I just nodded in response.

All of a sudden her lithe body was wrapped tightly around me with a grip stronger than I would have attributed to her tiny form. I also took note of her lack of body heat. Probably something to do with whatever it was they were. I patted her back to inform her the appropriate amount of time for a friendly hug had passed, and she let me go. She still bounced on the balls of her feet.

''Oh yes, I forgot to mention. We took care of the mess at school. And we covered for your absence. It was smart to tell your friends you didn't feel well, really sold the sickness excuse.'' Before I even got a word out, she replied to what I was going to ask. ''Officially, Rosalie was having a bad day, and trashed the bathroom. She's going to have to pay for the damages. The look on her face.'' Alice's grin grew even wider.

This tiny terror was something to look out for, even if she was family, it seemed. I felt a little guilty that Rosalie would have to pay for me throwing her into the wall and bursting out of the window. Then again, she did try to attack me first.

''I have to warn you, she is sort of upset with you about that.'' The grin on her face had disappeared completely. It had gotten kind of annoying, the way she seemed to know what I was going to say before I said it. And I noticed that as I thought that, her face donned a sheepish smile.

''You guys can see the future?'' At this point it was more of a statement than a question. But then why did Rosalie get surprised when she tried to attack me. Unless. ''Just you?'' A quick nod. Then why wasn't she selected to be the first to approach me? And why was she so tense earlier. Unless it wasn't fool-proof. Or it hinged on something. ''They have to make up their minds first?'' Another nod.

As crazy as that was, it made sense. It was certainly a useful ability to have, and they didn't want to risk loosing it if I was hostile. My mind then turned back to how they figured out. If Alice had the ability to see the future, the others would possibly have other abilities. Edward... A cold shiver went down my spine.

''Please tell me Edward can't read minds. Please?'' I begged her, only to receive raised eyebrows. She hadn't seen this question coming.

''You really are clever. We're gonna be such great friends!'' She was beaming with happiness again.

''Oh my god, your brother has seen me naked.'' So I can admit this was a weird thing to freak out about, but that's just how I work. That Rosalie and Alice had seen me was awkward, but it's not like they didn't have the same basic layout. I think. But that her brother had seen me by proxy of Rosalie was just downright mortifying.

I ran my hands over my hair as the blush spread across my face, and Alice came up beside me in sort of a side-hug.

''There's not a lot of privacy with a mind reader in the house, but he does try to be courteous with it. And your mind is harder to read than others, according to Edward. You're actually a black spot in my visions. I could only see what you were going to ask because it was in _my_ future.'' Her attempts to console me was somewhat effective.

''I feel so embarrassed.''I lamented, leaning onto Alice's shoulder as we started walking back to civilization. The large gouges of earth left in my wake had made that easy enough.

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 **AN: I hope it was somewhat understandable. Most of this was written under a painkiller haze, but oh well. If there is anything missing or feels left out, please let me know. Otherwise, I hope you enjoyed it. Another chapter should be up in about another 2 weeks.**


	8. Tender Subjects

**AN: So I got some decent constructive criticism on the last chapter, which I found invigorating. It pointed out some details that might not make sense, though it kind of does for me, as I know some details you don't yet. And take what I write with a grain of salt. It's written to hopefully reflect a conflicted individual that is not a reliable source, meaning what is written is not necessarily facts.**

 **On the other hand, if you have questions or concerns, please do tell me. I would love to help you appreciate my story more.**

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 **Deadly Affection – Reimagined**

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of it's characters. I just play around with them.

 **Chapter 8: Tender Subjects**

 **Bella PoV**

I had somewhat abruptly shrugged out of Alice's hold as we started walking. She didn't comment on it, but the bounce in her step vanished at the same time. Several minutes went by as we walked at human pace back towards the school. I still didn't know how I was going to get home without being seen walking around with just a jacket on. And I groaned as I remembered that I had blown up _another_ pair of shoes.

''What?'' Alice asked in a hushed voice. She didn't turn to look at me, instead keeping her gaze pointed downwards into the snow and dirt of my tracks. I was much the same, only _seeing_ her with my other sense. The atmosphere was heavy, had been since I shrugged out of her arms.

It bugged me that I had let her hug me like that. A cynical part of me believed that she had used her visions to get around my suspicions. She probably had. But her actions seemed genuine, even after I let my cloak go. If she wanted to, she could have probably hurt me when she went in for that hug. Maybe even killed me. The thought sent a shiver down my spine.

''Nothing, just trying to figure out how to get home without everyone seeing me like this.'' Again, neither of us lifted our gaze. I noticed her eyes darting side to side, as if she was looking for something that wasn't there. A gasp of air left her, before she shook her head.

''Geez. Trying to get a bead on you is making my head hurt.'' Alice's step faltered, before she stopped completely, holding her hands up to her head. Part of me wanted to say sorry for causing her pain. The cynical part warned me that she was trying to use her powers to manipulate me further.

''Sorry...'' I couldn't stop the words from slipping out of me. I stopped and turned towards her, looking at her spiky raven hair. ''Does it pass?'' The tug of a smile formed in the corner of her mouth, but she didn't look up towards me.

''Usually, just a second.'' Her hands rubbed her temples in a circular motions. I could _see_ the amount of pressure she was applying, yet her skin didn't yield like mine would have. Her skin was somehow much harder than normal. Forcing my sight off of her for a second, I noticed that snow had started drizzling from the sky in big flakes.

''What do you guys want from me, anyway?'' The cynical part of me seemed to have taken control for now. And I wouldn't mind some answers. Her hands fell down her sides, as she finally looked up to meet my eyes. I could feel them blazing red against her honey-gold ones. The incredulous look she gave me told me that might have come out a tad more hostile that I first thought.

'' _We_ don't want anything from you.'' Alice had certainly taken offense by the tone she responded with. '' _I_ want to be your friend. Was that not clear?'' I could swear the color of her iris darkened just a smidge.

''Sorry. It's just... You guys are sending some seriously mixed messages.'' She leans back, relaxing her stance. ''First your sister attacks me at the first mention of me not being human. And then you come with your ability, and worm yourself inside my guard.'' A sad smile appear on her lips as she looks off to the side, probably remembering something. ''I don't even know what you guys _are_. Just that you are super fast, really strong and surprisingly durable. Oh and you somehow have magic abilities to see the future or read minds.'' The sad smile turns into a genuine one as she chuckles.

''Okay. Okay.'' Her eyes look to mine again, arms held out in front of her, with her palms towards me. ''So, yes. I guess the mistrust is justified. I'm... Well all of us, wanted to extend our apologies for how Rosalie acted.'' Her eyes clouded over for a short second, before she continued. ''I want you to come to our home, so you can meet our mom and dad. They could explain things better. But I can see you won't do that. And I can understand why.'' I involuntarily take a step back at the thought. Being surrounded by seven of them, possibly more. In a house that is probably off the beaten path, so as not to draw more attention than necessary.

''Sorry...'' I mutter again. It's starting to bother me that I'm apologizing for not trusting her, or her family, with my life. It makes absolutely no sense. Why _should_ I trust them? For all I know, they are a kind of supernatural creatures that's sworn enemies with whatever I am.

''I... We're not supposed to expose ourselves to humans. Though you are obviously not completely human, I don't know how the ruling body of our kind would react if I told you what we are. We would have to have a family meeting to discuss.'' I cross my arms at the excuse she comes up with. Although, it's not like I've told them what I am. Not that I know myself. Maybe they knew, but so far they had not given me reason to suspect they did. ''I _want_ to tell you Bella. I want to be completely honest with you. It's not every day I get to make a new friend that I _can_ be open with.'' For some reason, I believe her. Either the earnest way in which she says it, or the desperation I can hear it marred with. It touches a sore spot for me as well.

''Wait, so it's not normal for supernatural beings to meet each other in school?'' This surprised me enough to drop my arms. Me taking a sudden step forwards didn't seem to bother her, but she looked surprised by my question.

''No! Not at all! This is the first time I've met someone that wasn't human at school.'' The information threw me for a loop. It's not like I got the time to _look_ at everyone at the school in Phoenix to see if anyone was super. But now she's telling me there probably weren't, and that I _accidentally_ moved into a school with a small gang of them? This just seems to get better and better. Wait. Why did it feel like she meant the first time, _in a long time_?

''How many different kinds of supernatural beings do you guys know of?'' My eyes were narrowed, taking in every tiny movement of her being. She noticed, and suddenly stopped moving all together.

''Not many.'' Only her mouth moved. How in the hell can you control every muscle in your body so perfectly? Her face shifted into an agitated scowl. ''Why did this suddenly turn into an interrogation?'' Her tone was sharp enough to have me on edge again. My knees bent, ready for action. But I didn't want to throw this away, so I forced myself to calm down, taking a deep breath.

''Sorry. Threat assessment, I guess. I...'' I unclenched my fists and looked to the side, taking several deep breaths in a row, until I felt completely calm. ''I guess I made some assumptions that was wrong when this all started...'' Giving up a little tidbit of information just to ease the waters again.

''So... You're new to this?'' Alice's voice was full of concern all of a sudden, annoyance thrown aside. I only met her with silence. ''Hey...'' I could _see_ her closing in on me with her arms stretched out, but she stopped short. A weight I had carried for the last week without acknowledging it becoming clearer in my mind.

''I swear to you, Isabella Swan. I shall do you no harm.'' My eyes burned as tears threatened to spill forth. I could see her hands had dropped down to her sides, fists clenched. Her face a statue of complete seriousness. I wanted to believe her. But the cynical part of me warred with my emotional side. Better to go solo and live. So I closed myself off.

''I can't trust you. Not yet.'' I turned my back on her, while still _looking_ at her intently. Dropping my jacket, I saw her reach out, and as I cloaked up and started running, she caught it.

I ran. My mind replaying the encounter again and again as I went. Trees flew by as I darted in between them at speeds I don't think I had run before. The snowflakes around me seeming to almost have stopped moving with how much slower time was moving around me. The three forwards facing talons on each foot digging deep into the earth with each step. Even with how frozen the ground was, it ripped like paper with the amount of force I applied.

For a while I just ran. It had always been so freeing to run, and to let my mind wander. But now, there was only turmoil. The fact that there wasn't a lot of different supernaturals meeting each other in school wasn't good. It meant that there was probably deep rivalries between the different species. Or that there wasn't a lot of species left.

It again made me wonder how I got these powers. Was it nature or nurture. I hadn't thought to ask either of my parents, and neither of them said anything I would consider off after the incident in Phoenix. And with how harebrained Renèe is, I doubt she had these abilities. That and I hadn't _seen_ anything different about her. The principal had given off some weird vibes though. She had seemed a little _too_ helpful, even though she didn't _look_ different _._ Or there was more to her and Renèe's relationship that I had imagined.

Charlie was a little too... average... to be a super. And I had scanned him as well, without a trace of anything out of the ordinary. A shiver went down my spine as I recalled when Billy and Jacob had come to visit us this weekend. Jacob's... energy, had been unusually bright compared to dad and Billy. It wasn't blinding like with the Cullen's, but just enough that it seemed off, thinking back on it.

Maybe it was because he was so young, but then again, neither Audrey nor Dustin were brighter than usual. None of the other kids in school here other than the Cullen's seemed to differ, compared to the teachers either.

It was as if an afterthought, that I noticed myself sprinting in the direction of the ocean. Of the rez. And I skidded to a stop at the edge of the forest, next to a road teeming with cars. Scanning them quickly, I recognized several faces from school. My mind didn't seem to catch up for a second as I just stood there, partially hidden, though lighting up the white trees in a ominous red tone. More than a few faces were about to turn in my direction before I bolted back into the forest.

Seems like school had just got out, so I guess I know what time it is. Taking more care with where I was going this time, staying close to the road home, though hidden in the trees. I still had to figure out how to get the truck home, or to come up with an excuse for Charlie about why it wasn't there.

Thankfully, he wasn't home yet as I came out of the forest out behind the house. But then another roadblock smacked me in the face. I didn't have my keys. Or my phone. Or anything. I was buck naked in the forest behind my house. And the neighbors were already home. The closest ones seemed to be busy making dinner or watching TV, but still.

Walking up to the back, I checked to see my window. It was closed, like I remembered. And I even think I had latched it shut in a vain attempt to stop my nightly excursions. The bathroom window wasn't big enough to fit through, though it was open. The window to my dads room was partially opened though, but with the child lock engaged. It would have to do.

Dropping the cloak, I looked around for a somewhat straight branch that seemed sturdy enough for my needs. Using the strength I had without the cloak, I broke one off a tree and plucked all the little outgrowths on it. Taking a few practice jumps to measure the amount of force I needed to get up to the window, I easily jumped up, grabbing the ledge of the window with one hand.

With the other, I snaked it in under the window and undid the bottom lock, before taking the stick out of my mouth, and poking open the child lock, while using my forehead to pull the window open. Making sure none of the neighbors had noticed the ruckus or display, I pulled myself up into his room, and closed the window again. Skirting around his bed, and out of the door to the hall, I made my way to my room and dressed up.

The sound of an engine thundering up the road reached me even from my room, and a small silvery-neon ball of energy, driving my fucking truck, parking it outside. I just got down the stairs to the first floor window to see Alice giving a sad smile in my direction, before she sped off on foot.

My backpack, jacket, and car keys were on top of my truck, splayed neatly for me to find. Gathering them up begrudgingly, I found my phone stuck in my jacket pocket, with an unread text on it.

 _'If you ever want to talk, don't hesitate to call. - Alice'_

I felt like growling at her for being so overbearing. Or hugging her for being so helpful. God, this little imp would be the death of me.

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I had called Audrey again after dinner was done and I was in my room brooding. It cleared my mind a bit, hearing her voice. Her laughter. I had told her about the first day of school, obviously keeping certain elements out, like going AWOL at lunch. Instead I had fed her the lie the Cullen's had come up with, that I had gotten sick.

I had left little lies in for her to suss out, like how everyone looked up to me. She called bullshit before the words had left my mouth, which brought a smile to my face. It brought me back to the good old days in Phoenix, shooting the shit with her. It didn't help that after she had to hang up, that brought the weight in my mind crushing down on me again with even more force. Things would never be that easy again. Not when I was all alone in this supernatural world. Brief thoughts of how to get in touch with more of my... kind? None that lead anywhere. At best some of them would end me in a mental institution, at worst, it would bring other, not so friendly, supers to my door.

My mind was swirling as I just lay in my bed, waiting for sleep to take me. I knew keeping all of this hidden and to myself would be unhealthy. That was obvious. But without taking a leap of faith with the Cullen's, I didn't know how else to learn more. About the world of supers. About myself.

I was seemingly still growing stronger, whatever this thing I had was. And Rosalie had apparently found me to be a threat already, so maybe I could survive on my own. A knot formed in my stomach, thinking about living alone for as long as I lived. How long would that even be in this crazy new world?

It grew further as I came to another realization I had not thought of yet. I would be _alone_. As long as I didn't find anyone that was the same as me, I could never open up to anyone. The heat of a blush spread as I thought about _that_. Could I ever be intimate with someone, without cloaking up. So far it had only flared up when angry or afraid, but I didn't know what would happen when I... When I... My mind flashed with images of a nameless, shapeless partner screaming in agony as I burned them alive.

I jumped out of bed and opened my one window, letting in the cold winter air to cool me down. The stars were out and not a cloud was visible. The sight of the many blinking stars stretched across the nights sky centered my raging mind. I was one of many beings on this little blip of existence. Somehow, that brought me solace.

I almost closed the window, leaving a small opening that I could pry open from the outside if need be. That way I wouldn't have to rely on luck to get into the house if another _accident_ were to occur. The sound of the wind rustling the trees outside quickly brought me to sleep after that.

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It was that time again, as I cut the engine to the truck in the school parking lot. I was early, but I elected to stay in my car for a while. I was tempted to wait for the Cullen's, and get up in their faces about yesterday. The more rational part of me told me to go the receptionist, and ask her how to proceed with the class slips today, maybe apologize for leaving after lunch yesterday.

And so I did that instead of forcing a confrontation that was probably on the horizon anyway. Mrs. Cope was more than helpful, insisting on giving me a slip for my absence yesterday to give to the teachers of the classes I didn't go to yesterday. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought she was being extra helpful because of my father. What did he do to get me in her yesterday?

The thought was quickly erased as Eric spotted me, and more or less dragged me to first period. He was pestering me a bit about the details of how I got sick. That and he was suspicious that it may have had something to do with Rosalie's temper tantrum. He kind of wasn't wrong, but I just told him it was something in the food I ate. Hopefully he couldn't tell when I was lying yet.

As we left left English, still talking in the hallway, the blue eyed kid from yesterday approached. Mike, I think his name was. He had chivalrously taken on the difficult task of escorting me to second period with him, poking fun at Eric in the attempt. It did not gain him any favors. I did learn a small tidbit of information that I would store for later though. His parents owned the sporting goods store in town. Might be an in for me to get a job.

As we entered Government, I barely even spared Edward a glance as I walked past him. He made no motion to acknowledge my existence, which suited me. Mike sat further in front than I did, so I actually had a class I could focus in for once. Other than scanning Edward for any sudden moves. It somehow in my twisted mind was enough of a threat for me to look out for. Why he would do that in a class full of kids and not in the woods, I can not explain. My brain didn't want to listen to reason.

I actually had some time to myself between third and fourth period, not being escorted. I saw Rosalie flit in and out of the range of my _vision_ when I was getting the books from my locker. It made my eyes shine bright, ready to move. It seemed I had more of a reaction to her than her brother. The flush of remembering that they both had seen... I balked, got my stuff and hurried to Trig.

Jessica was as incessant as Eric had been, but more in the gossiping fashion than the conspiracy spin he had gone with. She laid out about hearsay about how Rosalie and Emmett had had a big fight, and was on the outs. Rumors of how Emmett had cheated on Rosalie with someone else followed me into Spanish class. Angela, the camera girl from lunch was actually in the same class, and she and Jess were a complete menace.

It wasn't before lunch, when Mike, Eric and another boy was discussing something about having a big snowball fight arranged after school, that the gossiping stopped. I could _see_ Alice looking at my back several times during lunch, with a worried expression. I of course ignored them all, keeping my glasses in check as my eyes flared up again. They spoke in hushed voices, but not at super speed this time. I think both Alice and Rosalie was asking Edward about me a few times. If you're up here Edward, you can go fuck yourself. Thanks.

His head turned slightly as that thought crossed my mind. Yeah that's right you little shit. You ruin my privacy, and I'll chew you out good. With a roll of his eyes, I surmised that he told them of my mental conversation with him. Would at least be my guess, as I saw, and heard, Emmett start laughing. Alice started smiling as well. She looked pretty with a smile on her face. She looks even more like an elf when her big eyes are contrasted against her smile. A shocked expression, and crossed arms, was all that got me. I would have to guard my thoughts better around him. I wonder what his range is.

Mike pesters be about joining the snowball fight later, but I excuse myself with the fact that I have a lot of work to catch up on. I don't really, but it wasn't something they could argue against. Besides, I couldn't see me joining the snowball fight going well. If they ganged up on me for being the new girl, or in the boys case, to try to flirt in their hormone driven minds. The anger that could come from that would not be good. And a stray ball could knock my glasses off. Though I guess I could slow time to, no that would be even worse. In any case, I was off the hook for ditching their fun.

I was escorted on both sides by Angela and Mike to fifth hour biology II with a Mr. Molina. His curly black hair and geeky appearance make him seem harmless, but I scan him just to make sure. All human. He is pleasant enough, signing the slip I hand him, while taking the second one for my absence yesterday. He didn't force me to introduce myself or anything.

Downside was that there was only one seat currently unoccupied. Next to a super. Great. With a groan I sat down next to Edward, keeping my glasses high up on my nose to cover my blazing eyes. The close proximity had me on high alert, scanning his every move. He probably heard that, as he didn't move at all. He didn't even breathe for a good minute.

His fingers lifted off of his notebook, and it was enough for me to flex every muscle in my body. ''My apologies. Do you want me to leave?'' his silken tones were low enough for me to barely hear them. I entertained the thought, but didn't want him to miss out on his education just because of me. The cynical part of me roared to life and thought to ask for different seating, but the rational part won out. I noticed him vibrating without a sound. Was he laughing? _Are you laughing, you little shit?_

''Yes. I'm sorry.'' His face held a crooked smile that looked inviting, but served instead to piss me off further. It dropped quickly. _So we could have a one-way conversation in a sense?_ ''Yes.''

 _Well then_. _Did you have a family meeting yesterday?_ He didn't bother to open his mouth, instead nodding his head in affirmation. His face set in a neutral expression as he stared toward the teacher, who was droning on about how everything is interconnected in nature biologically.

 _Did you come to a conclusion? Will you tell me what you are?_ His neutral expression turned austere. ''We will not.'' Well bollocks. Where did that leave me. ''In Forks high, if I'm not mistaken.'' The smarmy little shit replied with a crooked smile, causing me to ball my hands into fists.

 _I really don't need you to be a smart-ass with me right now_. He nodded.

I turned my focus to the teacher, trying to follow along with what he was teaching. Keyword being trying, as my mind raced with possible outcomes of this. They would not expose themselves. Not that I blame them for that really, if we were possibly enemies, giving them any information would be stupid.

 _How did Alice feel about that?_ I knew he was following along, even if he didn't appear to do anything other than take notes in his book. ''She was... Upset.'' I could almost see the little pixie stomping her feet at not getting her will. A half chuckle told me I probably wasn't far off.

 _How close was the call?_ ''Alice, Rosalie and Emmett against the rest.'' _Why the fuck would Rosalie want to tell me?_ ''She wouldn't tell.'' That made me blink twice in rapid succession. Couldn't he read minds? Was there a way to block him out?

 _Then why, if you don't trust me enough to tell me, are you sitting right next to me looking so calm?_ A devilish smile spread across his face before he replied this time. ''Because I happen to know your weakness.'' Alarmed, I flexed my arms and felt my muscle bulge, growing bigger. This got his attention, as he stared down at my arms in fascination.

 _You know what I am?_ Edward's brows furrowed in confusion. He looked up to my face for once, indicating towards my forearm. ''No. Your clothes.'' The blush that spread felt like a fire was about to start on my face.

Focusing forwards, I saw Mr. Molina writing something on the blackboard, and turned in my seat. Taking a measured amount of force, as not to cause a ruckus, I punched Edward in the arm. He didn't move to block, and just took it like a champ. It didn't make enough noise to alert the teacher, and he didn't fall off the chair, but I could see a few heads turn in our direction.

Taking deep breaths to calm down, and trying my best to ignore the reminder, I drew my mind elsewhere. _So if you don't want to tell me what you are, can I guess?_ ''That was the consensus. We would not tell you directly, but would tell you if you guess right. That way we don't break our laws.''

What? That seems like a cheap loophole that would not hold up in court, if the supernatural world being exposed was at risk. ''It is. But since you are also... super? That would not endanger us without you exposing yourself at the same time.'' I was almost tempted to give him the stupid stare special.

How naive could these guys be? Seriously? If I was to go around telling people, humans, that they were supernatural beings, I would not have to give myself up. I could have easily made up a story of how I saw them doing something unnatural, without a second thought. I could fabricate some proof of some superhuman strength feat easily enough.

Edward's jaw tensed as he made a face I would imagine being something close to offended. He hadn't seemed offended when I took a jab at him at lunch, so why this time? Was it because I offended their family as a whole? Or someone in particular? The narrowing of his eyes was the last indication I got, before his body grew completely still again. _Sheesh dude, calm down. Even you have got to admit that's a pretty flimsy plan._

His eyes were the first to move, as he looked off to the side, through the window. A few seconds passed before he started breathing again, and almost imperceptibly nodded his head.

Feeling the tension between us, I actually turned to the teacher and listened for once. I still couldn't come up with an answer to why Rosalie would want to tell me what they were, but hey. At least I was allowed to guess my way to the answer.

I felt safe enough to let my power slowly fall away, knowing that they probably feared being discovered by humans as much as I did. Class flew by after that.

For the last period I had gym with a coach Clap. I was surprised by Jessica in the locker rooms, actually seeing her frame without the clothes on. She was kind of hot. I really hope Edward wasn't close enough to catch that. Holy shit, if he was, he's like... spied on all the girls in school. Gross!

I actually found I liked this class for once. My increased coordination and muscle mass let me perform quite well in volleyball. I even managed to do a spike that hit Jess straight in the face. Was it mean that I felt good about that? I claimed I was sorry in any case.

Opting to take a shower at home instead of being spied on by Edward, I was out in the parking lot before a lot of the other kids. I could _see_ Alice was standing by a silver Volvo on the other end from me, staring in my direction. I kind of wanted to talk to her, but I didn't know what to say. Not yet.

So like a douche, I drove off without acknowledging her.

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Charlie hadn't come home yet as I lay on the couch staring into the ceiling of the living room. He had called me ten minutes ago, telling me to just make some dinner when I wanted to. He would be working late, so he wouldn't be partaking. Not that I mind a day without fish fry.

I still couldn't get the image of Alice out of my mind. She looked forlorn as I left. The emotional part of me wanted to find her and hug her until she was happy again. But the rational part of me told me I didn't even know her yet. I wasn't that close with her yet. And still the image would not go away.

I stared at my phone on the table in front of me. I had her number. I could call her. Would she see that coming? I wonder what her life was like, if she could see everything before they happened. It seems like a cool power, but if it wasn't something she could control, that was bound to get jaded.

I wonder if she could forgive me for what I said. I must have given off some mixed signals of my own, letting her hug me, then blowing her off completely. She did bring my stuff back to me. That was probably a good sign that she wasn't mad.

Then again, I had rejected her a second time after school today. I was actually kind of miffed that I didn't share a class with her, instead sharing two with her pervert brother. If we had shared some classes, then maybe it would have been easier to get to know her.

It was giving me a massive headache, arguing with myself over what I should do. Should I get to know them. Should I get the fuck out of here. Should I trust them enough to let my guard down. Should I just buy a plane ticket to Africa and never speak to anyone again. Gah!

There was no need make a decision yet. They were going to let me figure out what they were on my own. Then again, that was not a promise they would not attack me. Although Alice had made that promise.

From what I guessed, they didn't know what I was either. They hadn't actually come out and said that. Edward's response when I asked him could have merely been a deflection of the question, but I didn't know for sure either way.

I did however know a lot about them. They were cold, possibly not having any actual body heat. They didn't need to breathe, or at least could hold their breath for a long time. They could freeze like a statue. They were impossibly pretty. They were possibly faster than me. They were a lot more durable than I was. They were quite possibly stronger than I was, but I'm not sure. They can have a whole nother level of super skills like mind reading and visions of the future. And they didn't have to ruin their fucking clothes to use it.

I'm so jealous.

I think the main things to focus on were the body heat and being able to survive without breathing for extended periods of time. Quite a few of the other abilities we seemed to share somewhat.

If they didn't need to breathe, maybe that meant they didn't need to transport oxygen around in their bodies to feed their cells. And if they didn't have need of that, maybe they don't even have a beating heart. Alice did kind of point out the fact that I had a beating one as if they didn't. That could be why they didn't have any body heat maybe?

Going down that path, I would have to guess they are either undead or maybe some form of construct? Their skin seemed to be really dense, so maybe some gargoyle kind of being? They didn't look like they were decaying, so that would probably rule out zombie.

I didn't really know what kind of fiction to draw from even. Do I go with old myths and tales that was probably only meant to scare children into behaving properly? Or do I got with some fantasy mystery tropes like J.R.R. Tolkien?

Again, elf was probably the best description if not for the lack of heat and need to breathe. That and the elves of his universe weren't so much faster or stronger than man. So his work was out of the picture.

Old myths would probably be closer to the real supernatural world. Sightings, mixed with ghost stories spreading across the world in ancient times. Possibly.

The magnificent rumble that was my stomach alerted me to the fact that I was really hungry. The sun was starting to set already, so it was a good time to eat. I would have to gather more information from Edward tomorrow to help me figure out what they are.

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 **AN: So that was another chapter in a relatively short amount of time. I had a few days off of work to help with that, so don't expect it to be a common occurrence. Hope you all enjoyed!**


	9. Ground Rules

**AN: Nothing much to report this time. I hope you enjoy the chapter.**

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 **Deadly Affection – Reimagined**

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of it's characters. I just play around with them.

 **Chapter 9: Ground Rules**

 **Bella PoV**

I had gone to bed before Charlie had gotten in for the night. I was feeling a little drained after the last few days, and opted to skip out on an evening stroll to drain the surrounding flora. I knew it may have the side effect of my going on a little nightly stroll, but I was too tired to care. I did strip before bed though, just in case.

As sleep claimed me, I started having these vivid dreams of flying through the forests of Forks. Over and around the hilltops near the rez. Skirting along the border to the sea and back again, up towards Port Angeles. The tiny town of Forks a mere distant dot in a sea of trees that was Olympic National Park.

The feeling of flying up in the air was freaky. My body was covered in feathers as if I was a bird, but I was even bigger than my human form. There were no birds this size in nature as far as I knew. My reflexes screamed as I flew along the treetops near lake Crescent. I felt threatened. Something was chasing me.

I danced through the branches of the trees easily, despite my large frame. I was trying to harry whoever was chasing me to give up, but the sound of breaking trees did not stop. Faster and faster I beat my wings, gaining speed, but to no avail. The sound breaking foliage was getting closer each second.

In a last ditch attempt to find out what was chasing me, I let my senses flow free around me. Almost too quick for me to even spot it, the silvery-neon against orange outline was upon me.

I jumped clean off the bed, lighting the room up with the dim red light of my cloak as I landed in front of it. The image of Jasper sinking his teeth into my wing in my dream flashing in my mind every time I closed my eyes.

Hearing the floorboards creaking in displeasure, I hastily moved to the window, opened it, and jump outside. Sprinting into the forest, I quickly found myself in the spot where I had trained a few days earlier. Hovering a few centimeters over the boulder I had chosen to sit on thanks to my cloak, I was comfortable.

The cold sweat I had built up from the dream was evaporating quickly under the cloak, which left me feeling a little cold out in the chilly night. The clearing I was in was lit up in a dim red light like my room had been, giving it an ominous tone. It didn't bother me much however. I was alone, and I would know if anyone got anywhere close.

The memory of recognizing Jasper's attempts to restrain his actions flooded my mind. Like a starving man struggling to contain his hunger around his favorite food. Humans. Only, he wasn't a man. Vampires. They were fucking _vampires!_

They had been picking at the food on their plate, not actually eating any. A facade to trick the humans. No heart beat. No heat. It sort of made sense. And vampires were supposedly impossibly beautiful and immortal. That could explain why Alice spoke as if it had _never_ happened that they met other supers. For a long time.

But how could they be out and about during the day? The vampires of myth were supposed to sleep in their coffins during the day, right? That was kind of a key weakness, besides garlic and wooden stakes. On a side note, I don't think wood could do much damage to their hard skin, so that was probably a lie. Garlic was probably a joke. Or maybe a plant, to warn them if a human might suspect what they were?

But daylight was supposed to be the antithesis to undead beings. That is if the old tales were even true. It could be that it was in fact a lie told _by_ said creatures, to let the humans feel safe. And it could be used to throw of their scent.

So I had moved to a tiny town in the middle of bumfuck nowhere, population 3546. Among them, at least seven vampires, and one undefined super. I really should buy some lottery tickets with my amazing luck.

Jess said they had moved here two or so years ago. One would think they would have noticed the bodies left by seven or more vampires in that amount of time. With the speed they could move at, I suppose they could run out to other towns, like Port Angeles, and find their prey there instead. To hide their presence in such a small town.

It actually surprised me how little that bothered me, that they were a kind of creature that fed on humans. Guess that kind of means whatever this thing with me is slowly turning me into a bit of a misanthrope. Or I can use it as sort of a convenient excuse for anyone that asks. I have pretty much been one for years.

Still, in a few years seven vampires would have built up quite a body count. I don't know how often they would have to feed, but even if they could survive on one human a week, that would be more than seven hundred corpses in two years. Those kinds of numbers tend to be stand out, even if they make it seem like animal attacks. And I don't remember hearing anything about that high of a death count anywhere in the surrounding area. Surely Charlie would have been much more overbearing if there was.

My improvised chair was starting to crumble beneath me, small chips of stone cracking apart and being pushed aside from my weight. My hands fell a few centimeters into the stone as I tried to extract myself from the boulder.

The slow processions of a small silvery person entering my view range drew my gaze towards the forest, past where the broken remains of the tree I had destroyed rested. I didn't actually feel that surprised by her presence. And that made me want to react rashly. Only her slow, measured steps kept me still.

Fifty meters. Thirty. Fifteen. The shape of the cloak around me sharpened up, becoming more compact around my form.

I was tense to the point where I had to focus on breathing. How would she react to the fact that I knew what she was. Or was that why she had come after me. Would she be upset? She had wanted to tell me...

''Hello.'' The dulcet tone of her voice chimed in the calm night. She had stopped next to the tree just at the beginning of the clearing, just as she entered my view. She didn't seem surprised that I was already staring at her before she came around the corner.

'' **Hi**.'' The bass of my voice disturbed the flight path of the small specks of snow falling around me. Making them vibrate for what felt like seconds, before they continued their path.

Alice seemed to be staring into my eyes, as if searching for something. Only then did it occur to me that I was standing facing her, completely naked. I turned on a dime, and ran around the boulder I had been seated on, and crouched behind it. Only my head peered over the edge. She had smiled at my bashfulness and looked the other way as I had hidden.

''Are you okay?'' Her eyes were still searching for something in mine, as the rest of her body displayed the concern I could hear in her voice. It made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

'' **I know what you are**.'' Her body almost seemed to jump in surprise, yet she didn't move. The look in her eyes turned to fear, acceptance, and then sadness in a matter of moments.

''Do you want me to leave?'' Her voice was hard to make out, even in the silence. Her face had turned into a stoic mask, making it impossible for me to read her.

'' **How do you keep the humans from noticing?** '' Not even a twitch of the eyebrows to tell me what she was thinking. If not for the amount of time that passed before she replied, I would not have known she was surprised.

''Noticing what, exactly?'' Alice's face still remained stoic, as we had unceremoniously started a guessing game, of sorts. I would have none of that.

'' **The bodies piling up from at least seven vampires**.'' I grinned as the mask on her face faltered for a moment. Before she abandoned it completely. A self-deprecating smile tugged at her lips, as she looked to the snowy ground.

''I truly didn't appreciate just how clever you are.'' Her eyes looked into mine again. ''We don't feed on humans.'' The confusion on my face must have been visible as Alice started chuckling quietly. ''We, my family and I, subsist on the blood of animals. We're basically the vegetarians of our kind.''

The revelation surprised me to the core. I could tell from her tone and body language that she was being honest. That or she was so practiced in how to lie that she could fool me. The cynical part of me screamed at the lack of evidence for such a thing to be possible. The rational part knew I had no evidence for either argument.

'' **How can you be outside during the day?** '' Alice looked incredulously at me, before rolling her eyes.

''You know what. I take that part about you being clever back. It must just be sheer dumb luck. How did you even guess what we are, if all you got to go off of is old fairy tales?'' Alice ranted, before she noticed my cloak bristling. Or the fact that I had stood halfway up, giving her a free show. That part probably didn't help either party.

'' **Don't fucking test me, vamp!** '' I growled at her, but in the back of my mind I could tell I wasn't actually mad at her. I believe I should have been. I had never taken slights well from anyone. Yet as I moved my right arm to cover my breasts from her view, I couldn't find a shred of ill will in me directed at her.

''Sorry. Sorry.'' Alice's eyes darted around the clearing as I covered myself. ''Vampires don't perish in the sunlight, that whole deal is just a myth. If subjected to direct sunlight, our skin will start glowing. Think glow-in-the-dark stickers, only in daylight. It doesn't harm us, but humans would know we were different.'' Her smile had returned as she spoke.

So my guess that it might have been an idea used to hide true vampires from humans were probably not far off. There would be no logical reason for a human to start spreading the lie otherwise. Unless it was somehow linked with religion, and used to appease the fear of the dark back in the day. The problem with myths was that it starts much like a rumor. It would be impossible to find its origins at this point.

''So you're not afraid?'' Alice asked after some time had passed without a word. A hint of hope in her voice clear as day. She was afraid that I would shy away from her because of what she was. On one hand, I didn't know how much danger she posed to me. Were I human, I would have probably freaked the fuck out. I probably still should.

On the other hand, I was feeling rather happy that I wasn't the only one that wasn't human around here. Having someone I could open up to would make things so much easier. The weight of it again began nagging me in the back of my mind, as my cynical side screamed how I couldn't trust a bunch of _vampires_.

'' **I'm**... **not sure**.'' The walls in me was starting to lower as I considered it. I could either take a leap of faith with them, possibly gaining allies of the immortal kind. Or again, I could take what I had and flee to the far corners of the world and live in solitude. The rational part of me told me it was better to take the chance with possible allies or death. The odds were preferable over a life lived alone in fear. And this time the cynical part of me did not argue.

'' **We need** **some...** ground rules.'' The bass in my voice disappeared as I calmed down. With a sigh, I turned my back to her and sat down on the boulder facing away from her. The cloak was still active, although diminished at this point. I still kept a close watch on her movement with my other senses. With raised hackles, I tapped behind me on the boulder, indicating for her to take a seat.

Again she moved with measured steps towards me, sitting down on the boulder facing away from me, so we were back to back. Not even a meter of air separated us.

''I'm choosing to trust you here, so please don't let me down.'' The words were hard to get out, but I pushed on. ''As long as you don't kill anyone from school, or my dad, I can look the other way.'' Her head turned sideways fast, but I had been expecting it. At least if she was being honest earlier.

''You don't believe me?'' Alice's voice was low and tinged with disappointment.

''There is not much in the way of proof, other than your word. And you are _vampires_.'' The rock under me cracked as I gripped harder into it as she turned around even further, staring into my back.

''But there is proof! The color of our eyes! Our eyes only turn golden after a long time drinking only animal blood. Which... you wouldn't know... since you haven't met any other vampires.'' It was almost funny to see the earnest look on her face turn to the realization of her quandary.

''I guess it would be difficult to prove, without one of us feeding off of a human, or bumping into a nomad. Both things we would like to avoid.'' Alice turned back around so we were back to back again. ''We, the Cullen's, will not feed on any human. Is that satisfactory?'' The seriousness with which she spoke surprised me somewhat. As if this was not just a simple promise to her, but more of a pact.

There was silence for several seconds as I waited for her to speak, but not a word. ''Do you have any concessions for me?'' I asked her somewhat confused. Didn't these sort of things go back and forth? One person made a demand, then the other? I really need to get out more.

''What? Oh yeah. Sure. Well. I guess the only big one would be not to tell our secret to a human. Oh, and you have to be my friend. And at _least_ one shopping trip every month.'' Alice was smiling and laughing as she made the last two demands, so I knew she was just trying to lighten the mood. And it worked. The cloak disappeared completely, removing the dim red light from the clearing, leaving us only in moonlight.

''I will never share your secret without your consent.'' I answered solemnly, before joining in on her banter. ''The shopping trips you're going to have to fight me for.'' A devilish smirk spread on Alice's face as she turned towards me.

''So you're telling me there's a chance?'' A shiver went up my spine from hearing the tone in her voice. What kind of shopping crazed vampire did I just get myself involved with.

''I have another rule I want in place, if it's not too much trouble.'' The smirk on her face dropped quickly, returning once again to her serious look. I kind of didn't want to ruin the good mood, but the cynical part of me had other wishes. ''No more than two of you in the same room as me at once.'' I immediately felt guilty about it, so I made an addendum. ''At least until I trust you all.''

Alice didn't even look perturbed at this, which told me she had probably already seen this in her visions. ''That is completely understandable. But what about at lunch, or if we get stuck in the same room for a school project?'' I hadn't actually thought about that. There was probably no way around those situations unless I wanted to be silly and force them out of the cafeteria. Not that they ate, but it helped keep up the pretense for them.

''That can be the exception to the rule.'' I agreed quickly, before looking up at the stars. ''We really should get some sleep.'' I said, yawning for the first time since coming out here. The laughter coming from Alice surprised me. ''What?''

''Vampires can't sleep.'' Alice said with mirth. This wasn't something I was expecting. Well maybe since they were supposed to be nocturnal creatures, but they didn't need to stay out of the sun it made some sense. Or not. How the hell can you survive without sleep. That must be exhausting. And sleeping is the best.

''Then what do you do every night?'' I asked quietly, trying to keep it civil so she wouldn't become upset at my probing questions again. I could _see_ the wry smile on her face that showed her teeth. Teeth that were made to kill humans. They looked perfect from the outside, like normal human teeth, but I could tell they were far sharper. The peaks were more pronounced, and with thin edges to them. It was fascinating to look at.

''Well... All sorts of stuff. Anything that suits our fancy, really. My brothers really like playing games. Rose likes working on her cars. Esme, our mom, usually likes to find different designs to use with her decorating work.'' I cataloged all the entries as I listened to her soft voice spread out in the clearing. From the reverent tone she held, I could tell she loved her family deeply. But I also noticed that she had left a few out. Chiefly among them, herself.

''What about you?'' I prodded again, trying to sound as genuinely interested as I could. I felt guilty for being so nosy, but I couldn't help myself.

''I used to like to design clothes for fashion shows.'' Her face looked torn as she responded. I noted that what she revealed was in the past, but chose not to press further. If she didn't want me to know, I couldn't force her.

''But that's neither here nor there. Do you want me to accompany you home?'' Alice's tone picked back up to the perky pace she had used the first time I met her.

''Uhhm... I don't really have any clothes around.'' I flushed with embarrassment, only to see a devious smile, that quickly turned innocent.

''Ohh I don't mind.'' The reply sounded entirely to innocent to be true, even if I couldn't see her expression due to cheating with my awesome skills. Not wanting to let her get the best of me, I mustered up some bravado.

''Sweetie, you couldn't handle me if you were a foot taller. What makes you think I will graze you with this gorgeous view?'' It was a lame bluff, but I heard her suck in a breath before gasping loudly, putting an arm up to her chest in mock offense.

''You mock my height? How dare you, madam!'' I at least hoped it was just the escalation of a joke, and not something more serious. She was starting to turn around, before she suddenly stopped herself. The smile returned, and she laughed out loud. ''I think we should leave it here for now. Do you think we could talk again sometime? At school maybe?''

I think I would like that. She seemed like an okay people-eating person. And she seemed to have a similar sense of humor as me.

''Yeah, I would like that.'' For once I could actually feel some sense of hope for the future. Part of me said it could still all go to shit, but for that one moment, I let myself hope.

''Later then.'' Alice said as she stood up from the boulder, giving me a last look over her shoulder, before darting out of the clearing at full speed.

I waited for a good few minutes, making sure I couldn't sense her, or anyone else for that matter, near me. I pushed my senses out as far as I could, reaching almost back to the house by my reckoning off of the landmarks I was getting acquainted with.

Then slowly, I walked over to a grand fir a little ways into the woods from the clearing, and took my time to slowly drain it without hurting myself. Or it. Taking note of the small victory of how much easier it was to stop this time than the last. There was hardly even a mark on the tree by the time I was done. And it didn't look like it was slowly dying. I attributed that to the fact that it was such a large tree that I barely took a noticeable amount of energy from it.

And with that, I walked at a normal pace back to the house, getting lost in thought of what the future might bring.

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The alarm clock felt like torture as I had barely gotten in an hour before it rang. The slumber button was heavily abused this morning. In my groggy state, I could _see_ that Charlie was sitting downstairs, eating breakfast in the kitchen. He should have the day off, having worked so late last night. So what was he doing up so early? With a jump, I turned around to check the time on my phone.

6:30 was what showed on the dim screen. I had nuked the alarm so hard it had given up. ''Fuck!'' I yelled, as I grabbed my clothes of the chair next to my bed and rushed into the bedroom. I didn't have time for a shower, and smelling under my armpit, I cursed my laziness.

Brushing my teeth and applying some concealer to the bags under my eyes, I got dressed in a hurry. I nearly fell over as I had one leg into the jeans, and tried to jump the other one in there in a rush. If not for my increased reflexes and strength, I would have faceplanted into the toilet. That and the now slightly cracked countertop where I had grabbed. There were indentations from my fingertips underneath.

Tying my hair into a ponytail and being a little too liberal with my perfume, I was soon out of there, running down the stairs. I had to jump the last three steps as my sock got stuck on a nail that was protruding on it, in an attempt to kill me. Nice, now I got a fucking hole in my sock.

''Bells? You okay?'' Charlie asked as he heard me stick the three point landing on the floor, the boards groaning from the stress. A brief wonder of whether or not my increased weight would start to cause issues in the future passed, before I strode into the kitchen.

''Yeah, I survived attempted murder by stairs just fine. But I'm late.'' I stuck my head in there just to actually get a good look at him, with my eyes for once. In the brief period of time I had lived under his roof, I had barely had time to talk to him. I really should do something about that.

I could see he was tired from a long night, his face sallow and big bags underneath his eyes. But he still smiled as soon as he saw me, the big old grin that I loved to see on him.

''I noticed. Your damned alarm woke me up from across the hall, yet you slept like the dead. Tried to wake ya, but you seemed to slap your phone every time I made a noise.'' His voice was hoarse to the point of breaking. I wonder what he was doing last night. ''Made you some breakfast.'' He pointed to the plate by the chair across from his.

If a pb&j sandwich could look majestic, this was it. My stomach chose this time to voice its lust for this offering. I could almost swear it had a glowing halo around it.

''You are _the_ best!'' I exclaimed a little too loudly as I stormed over to it, grabbing it in my hands. For good measure, I walked up to him and kissed him on the temple. ''Love you dad! Got to go!'' I could _see_ his smile spread onto his entire face as I walked out the door, chomping down on the mushy goodness in my hands.

Even with me going a little over the speed limit, I only got to school five minutes before it started. The parking lot was almost completely full, and I ended up having to park at the far end. Only a few stragglers still stood near the entrance to the school, and they gave me an odd look as I rushed past them in a jog.

Mr. Mason was just about to close the door to the classroom as I got there, and he shooed me inside with a disapproving look. My heart didn't stop thumping like a drum in my ears until several minutes into the lecture. But I had made it. My clothes may be dirty, the little makeup I wore smeared, and I may smell like yesterdays garbage, but I made it.

No nightmares or late night chats could stop my tired ass self from making school on time. This super ain't got time for that shit. I huffed loudly enough at the thought, that Mr. Mason gave me a stern look. One nightmare might be over. Another may be unfolding depending on certain bloodsucking moods. Edward probably had a conniption when Alice told him I had figured them out. I bet the look on his face was priceless.

Different scenarios of what that conversation looked like ran through my head all through english, keeping me entertained as head honcho here kept trying to unravel the mysteries of different poetry pieces. It ranged from going all Count Dracula and hiding behind a cape and hissing, to Lestat level brooding.

So when I walked into government, expecting to see him either seething or just staring at me, I was surprised to see that he wasn't even bothering to look at me. _Hello Edward_. I concentrated on trying to project the thought in his direction. Or I just stared at him really awkwardly. His eyes flickered to me as if I had said his name out loud, so it may have worked. He just gave me a quick nod, before returning to his chosen spot to stare at in the wall. There wasn't an inkling of anger or anything in his features, and it confused me greatly. It was as if his mind was somewhere else.

Was I really that wrong, thinking he would be upset that I had figured them out after the conversation we had yesterday? He didn't seem so friendly after I pointed out how naive their notion of how I could not expose them without exposing myself. Not that many would have believed it without video evidence in this day and age, other than probably conspiracy theorists, but still.

But hey, at least they hadn't gone skulked off into the forest, never to be seen again. The cynical part of me wondered if that would have been such a bad thing. So class moved along, and I was even more educated in how this country didn't work.

A brief flicker of worry sparked in me, but was gone before I could recall why.

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Lunch would prove to be an interesting affair this day, as Alice had calmly approached me with Edward in tow, asking if we could share a table. Jessica and Angela stuttered with their mouths agape, shocked by the invitation of the Cullen siblings. Angela was the first to gain her bearings.

''Yes of course, she would love to sit with you!'' She said in a mischievous tone, nudging me towards them. My eyes, burning red behind my shades, stared into hers with a promise.

''I will so get you back for this Ange!'' I whispered back to her, even though I knew everyone here would hear it. Best to keep up appearances. She smiled tauntingly at me as I turned back around to the Cullen's. Jess still hadn't gotten her jaw off the floor.

''Yes, I would _so_ love to sit with you.'' I said in an excessively sweet and mocking tone. Alice just smiled apologetically at me as we left the shocked and deceitful ones behind. Walking behind them both, I turned around and stuck my tongue out at Angela, all mature like. She just laughed at me, before taking Jess to the usual table.

With a huff, I sat down across from the both of them at a table close to the ones the Cullen's frequent. From my position I had all them in front of me, even though that probably wouldn't have made any strategical difference.

''Now what did you want to say Alice?'' Edward asked in an annoyed tone, his arms crossed in front of him. He wasn't a willing participant in this either it seems. My gaze shifted from him, to Alice, who was fiddling with her hands on the table.

''Well... Okay, so everyone, please remain seated as I tell you this.'' Her eyes didn't come off of her nails that she seemed to be inspecting. Even the three Cullen's at the other table turned to look at her. ''Bella knows.'' For a moment it was as if nothing else in the cafeteria existed.

I was almost shocked, as I came to understand that she didn't tell the rest of her family this morning after our talk. Surprised for sure, but I was still hyper aware of the rest of their reactions. Emmett went from shocked to smiling, while Rosalie just narrowed her brows. Edward gaped, before his jaw shut and his grimace turned angry. To his credit, Jasper was the only one that didn't seem fazed. Which should not surprise me I guess, him and Alice were together, after all.

Alice ignored the rest of her family, instead looking deeply into my eyes. ''I really wanted you to get to tell them yourself, but then I saw Edwards reaction in bio next period.'' She gave a half-arsed glare at her brother to her right, poking him in the side with her elbow. ''It would have made the peace between us untenable. Thanks to your overreacting, stubborn nature.'' That last part she said with venom directly to Edward.

''She is going to out us to the humans!'' Edward hissed back at her through clenched teeth. Alice hissed back and for the first time since I met her, I could tell there was actual anger in the little elf.

''No she wouldn't, you fucking muppet! She knew, yet she still came with us. What does that tell you?'' As a bystander to this sibling infighting, I would have liked to have claimed that I felt guilty about being the root cause for this. But it was just too funny to see the little pixie stand up to Edward.

''But she told me yesterday...'' Edward started, and as if a lightning bolt hit me I realized what this was about. Edward had been under the belief that I would never have been able to guess correctly, or at least not until we had gone our separate ways. And Alice probably hadn't told him yesterday to stop him from leaving. Doing it here, in the cafeteria, would force him to confront this without being able to sprint off at full speed. But why would she care enough to stop them from leaving? Was it really that rare for her to find a new friend?

''I told you how naive your idea of me not being _able_ to out you was. Not that I would.'' Looking around unnecessarily to convey the idea of secrecy, though I could already _see_ that not a single person was paying attention around us. ''I don't _care_ that you lot are vampires. I don't _care_ enough about humans to bother warning them that they are your food. I only care about me, my family, and a select few individuals that I consider friends. The rest of humanity can go fuck itself for all I _care._ '' I spat out in a whisper, knowing full well that they could all hear me.

Emmett guffawed loud enough to draw the attention of some of the students. His eyes quickly shifted to Rosalie as he pretended she had said something funny. As he shook her shoulders, her face turned from shock to a shy smile as well. Edward had seemingly stopped working, his mouth as agape as Jess' had been earlier. Alice was straight up grinning like a cheshire cat.

''What?'' I asked, getting annoyed with her staring at me so intensely. Alice just shook her head side to side vigorously, still smiling from ear to ear.

''I need some air.'' Edward pressed out as he stood up from the table, making his chair squeal backwards on the floor in the process. Jess noticed this and was looking confused in our general direction, eyes going back and forth between me and the retreating form of Edward.

''Well that was fun.'' I deadpanned at Alice, whose smile hadn't diminished in the slightest. ''So that was it? You needed to ambush Edward with this so he wouldn't freak out in class?'' I felt annoyed that the ambush was merely a means to an end.

''Ohh that was just the boring bit before it would get interesting.'' Alice huffed with a wave of her hand, trying to dispel the unpleasant mood I was in. ''So, if you _still_ don't believe us being 'vegetarians', why are you being so flippant about what we are?'' The way her shoulders hunched up as she put her head onto the palms of her hands made her look even smaller, further accentuating the comparative size of her eyes. Curiosity stormed in those honey-gold orbs, stealing my focus for a spell.

''Uhh...'' My mind was completely blank, before I shook my head and focused on the white table. ''The way I see it, you do what you can with what you got. If you're made to feed on the blood of others, who am I to stop you?''

''So might makes right?'' She questioned with furrowed brows, trying to figure out what I meant.

''Not necessarily. Can you survive without blood?'' Alice quickly shook her head, eyes darting around, looking around us for any listeners. ''Then that's the hand you're dealt.'' The logic was flawed beyond belief, and I knew that. I'm not perfect.

''But isn't that terribly selfish? To take the lives of others to survive?'' All her attention was focused on me now, and it made me slightly nervous.

''Perhaps. But how are humans different? Why does humans get to ignore the millions, no billions, of cattle and chicken lives, or those of other meats we eat? Tell me, does _any_ of them care about that? Give it even a passing thought?'' The captivating eyes drew me in and I just stared at her for a few seconds in silence, before continuing. ''And how about the way humans treat each other? The way the few with power can't help themselves from trying to grasp even more power, even if they have to trample over the corpses of other humans to get there. Who am I to be the judge of you then, if you need to feed off of a few humans to survive in this messed up world.''

Alice didn't speak for a good minute, but I really didn't mind. It gave me time to calm down enough to let the power in me recede, and my eyes to return to normal. Her face was an enigma to me, as all that moved were her eyes.

''You're struggling with this, aren't you?'' Alice finally spoke softly. ''Your humanity.'' She clarified after she saw my confusion, and it shook me. She had seen so completely through my words that she understood my internal conflict. Understandably, she probably would have been in the same shoes as me when she was new to this. I don't think I could come to terms with killing anything or anyone easily.

The image of the bird in Phoenix crossed my mind, making me grit my teeth. I thanked my lucky stars that I could survive off of the energy of plants, not just living beings. But I think if there was no other options, I would deal with it. If only by enduring.

''What about the fact that what we are is merely the byproduct of a disease?'' She continued, never moving from her position. ''That if we feed improperly, we might create more of our kind. That we are parasitic.'' I could hear the self-loathing she held for herself and what she was. She was still struggling with humanity herself.

''I... I don't know. But I can see that you feel emotions. You have ambitions and desires. You are still mostly human, even if your diet had a drastic change. And despite that, you supposedly still hold human lives so dear as to abstain from your natural prey. Who cares what made you. What matters is what you do with it.'' I tried sound as genuine as I could, but this was a bit out of the realm of what I had considered so far.

''So in a world of prey and predator, it doesn't matter as long as you're happy?'' Alice's tone was mocking as she got out of the pose she had been in for the last several minutes. Now it was her with the crossed arms and a sour expression.

''You asked for my opinion, pixie!'' I shot back, starting to get angry with her for the first time. Alice huffed loudly, before storming off much like Edward had done. I swear, that little elf was going to give me whiplash with her mood swings if this was to become the new norm. Another of the silvery bunch of misfits approached me slowly, and this time it was Jasper. Come to the aid of your lady friend. How chivalrous.

My eyes flared up again as I looked into his tawny ones, purely out of instinct. This was the one who was struggling the most to keep from feeding off of humans. So perhaps it had been hypocritical of me to claim to not care what they were. At some level, I still did.

''I'm sorry. Alice has never gotten over the fact that we live by the deaths of others. Just give her some time to think, and I'm sure she will calm down and apologize.'' Jasper's voice was thick with a southern drawl. His tone was courteous, yet his stance was still stiff as he walked after Alice.

The bell ringing had many of the students scrambling to their next class, but I took some to reflect on what had happened.

She had come to me, trying to head off one problem, successfully. Then she had kept going until she went into a minefield of morality, head first, and deliberately stepped on one. And she was the one storming off?

Note to self, vampires are just as irrational as humans. Maybe even more so.

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 **AN: So it seems that you all got a bonus chapter in addition to the one in between the regular schedule. Hope you enjoyed it.**


	10. Wheels in Motion

**AN: So that's ten chapters done now, and I feel like we're finally getting started on this whole thing. Thanks to those of you who have stuck with me so far, and I hope you will continue to enjoy the crazy rabble I put up here.**

 **And I know this was almost three weeks late. I apologize for this, and will set myself to work to catch up to my schedule again. Maybe there's even an additional chapter in it for you guys yet again. Wink Wink.**

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Small update:

I had messed up which day of the week it was in this chapter somehow. The accident is happening on friday, not thursday, as I previously wrote. That, and a few spelling mistakes I found is all that was changed. Sorry for the inconvenience.

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 **Deadly Affection – Reimagined**

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of it's characters. I just play around with them.

 **Chapter 10: Wheels in Motion**

 **Bella PoV**

Still somewhat put off by how lunch had ended up being a complete mess, I got to my class and sat down next to Edward. He was staring intently at me since the moment I got to the door. It was like he was trying to stare a hole in the side of my head.

''Sorry.'' He murmured, turning his gaze to the teacher starting the lesson. ''Were you being honest?'' His stance, even while seated, was what I could only understand as _tense_. It was obvious he still thought I would try to give away their secret. I almost laughed.

''Why would I?'' I tried to speak silently, but I couldn't stop myself from chuckling.

''Anything you and Mr. Cullen would like to share with the class?'' Mr. Molina asked in a boisterous voice, the faces of almost every student here turning to look at us. The burning feeling on my cheeks from my blush was numbed by the one in my eyes, and I shut them tight behind my shades. Squirming in my seat, I was having trouble mustering the courage to respond when Edward jumped to my aid.

''I apologize Mr. Molina, I initiated the conversation. It will not happen again.'' His crooked smile turned into a weapon that seemed to be confusing the poor teacher. _A little fucking late there, Romeo._ I jabbed at him in my mind, and I noticed his smile turn up a little further.

''Sorry.'' I added, staring into the book on my desk, trying to figure out where he had gotten before we interrupted. I could _see_ Mike's grin turn into a frown at Edwards words. Did he think he honestly had a chance with me? The boy was probably going to look quite handsome in a few years, but he still acted like a child. Edward cleared his throat, probably trying to suppress a laugh.

''Very well then. I'll keep my eye on you two. Now, who can tell me more about how the digestive system works in dogs, and how it's different to us?'' Mr. Molina asked the class, looking around at the other students, trying to establish eye contact again. _Thanks._

I noticed him nodding beside me, but not another word was uttered between us for a good fifteen minutes, as the teacher kept glancing in our direction every now and then. And with Edward choosing not to speak, even when Molina didn't seem to pay attention, probably meant that he was keeping a keen ear out for us as well. And for once I felt like I was actually learning something in this class.

I was starting to think that Edward wouldn't try to continue the conversation at all, when I noticed him scribbling in the corner of his notebook. And for the first time since last week I noticed a weakness in my second sight. I couldn't see what he was writing. Both the paper he was writing on, and the ink that he scribbled, were the same dark blue 'color' that the clearings I had made in Phoenix was. Like it was drained of energy. As I looked around, I noticed that all of the books _looked_ the same. Frazzled by this fact, I turned my head over to the side to look into his book, as he subtly pushed it in my direction.

'Why would you not?' Edward had written with fine penmanship. Like you would see them use in old movies and such. The question was vague, but then again, all of them had been so far. Or irrational. But it would be a clever move, to keep the questions vague, so if we were caught, it wouldn't give away any secrets. Again, I noticed him nod slowly.

 _So I don't know how much you know about me yet, but I'm quite new to this whole supernatural shtick. I haven't met anyone else that weren't human since this started. So if I have the chance to learn how the world really works, and maybe even make some friends along the way that I can be open and honest with, why would I intentionally ruin that?_

His face was a mask of calm focus, directed at the teacher. And as I noticed him about to turn back around after writing on the blackboard, I guessed it must be because he would have another look at us. So with some more speed than I really needed in my panic, I turned my head around. My hair swung into my face as Molina's eyes caught my glasses.

As his eyes narrowed, I knew I had barely made it in time, and thanked whatever was out there for the fact that my glasses were not taken from me. At least yet. If I get into anymore trouble, I think that would be the first punishment. It's what I would do in his shoes in any event.

So several more minutes pass as Edward and I give the teacher our attention again, still being scrutinized all the while. By the time I notice Edward scribble another note into the corner of his notebook, class is almost over. 'How can I believe you?' Again the flowing lines of his penmanship impress me, and makes me wonder just how old this dude really is. He couldn't be _that_ old, right?

 _Well that's kind of a stupid question to ask me if I was trying to be disingenuous. I would have thought up an answer to the question in order to be able to fool you, if that is even possible. If I was a spectator in this, and you wanted my advice, I would tell you to ingratiate yourself with me, and wait for me to make a mistake. If both parties were trying to screw each other over, your mind reading ability would certainly give you an edge in figuring that out. Though I guess the most honest and basic answer I could give you would be self-preservation. Trust that I will do everything I can to survive. That does not include trying to fuck over a large group of vampires when I'm not even sure if I can beat you in a one on one fight._

He looked at me out of the corner of his eye, seemingly trying to decipher my expression for falsehoods. Trusting his skills to keep the teacher from catching us again, I turned to him and slowly pushed my glasses down my nose, letting him stare into my blazing red eyes. I didn't know if it held any truth when it came to me with my powers, but I figured it would show him that I was trying to be honest. To the front right in the room, I saw Mike looking over his shoulder towards us, and I slowly pushed my shades back up before looking back to the teacher. And then the bell rang.

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It was getting closer to night as we had finished dinner at home. The sun had set a couple of hours ago and I was currently lying in bed.

''So how're the kids reacting to you?'' Audrey asks with a laugh. She knew better than most how awkward I can be, having been one of the few who bothered to keep me company in Phoenix. I think she had heard the antsy mood I was in, tossing my pillow up into the air and catching it time and time again.

''Well I found out I'm not the weirdest student in this tiny town.'' I had called her to try to calm down, not to be questioned like a criminal. Okay, so that might not be true, I kinda just wanted to vent. Seriously, how can stupid ass vampires be so... stupid.

''Meaning you have already made friends?'' She asked without any finesse at all, though I know not to expect it anymore. She tried to be sneaky with her questions at first when we got to know each other, but that just made me mad. I appreciate honesty.

''Sort of, I think. It's... weird. There's this family of adopted kids that kind of stick to themselves most of the time, making them the resident outcasts. Guess who fit right in?'' To be fair, Jessica and Angela both had been very nice to me, but they weren't the kind of people I enjoyed hanging out with. Maybe Angela, and then only if I could be honest with her. Which was not going to happen. And there the guilt of keeping this secret from Audrey came back to stab my emotional heart.

''Would one of them be among those weird students you mentioned?'' Audrey asked with a chuckle. The image of a tiny vampire stomping off like a brat came to me like a flash, and I laughed with her.

''In fact, yes. It's like I'm a beacon for weird people.'' I jested, enjoying the sound of her gasp on the other end. My pillow went flying off at an angle this time, and I had to get off of the bed to pick it up.

''Why you little!'' Her attempt at scorn was quickly crushed as she started laughing for real this time. ''So tell me about your new friends.'' Her voice is hoarse as she finally calms herself down enough to speak.

''I don't actually know if we're friends yet. It's complicated.'' I say with a huff, thinking about how to proceed with getting to know them now that Alice is mad at me. I would still have classes with Edward, but he needed to get the stick out of his ass before that could progress. ''There are five of them, three boys and two girls. They moved here two years ago I think, and they still haven't opened their little group up to the other kids.'' I tried to recall what Jess had said about their official cover back on monday, but it was hazy.

''Wow, five adopted kids? Their parents must be loaded!'' Audrey sounded a little surprised, but I got the feeling that it wasn't because of any perceived wealth. ''So are any of them hot?'' I know I should not have been, but it was my turn to be surprised.

''What? Why?'' I blurted back defensively, knowing I sounded like the proverbial deer in the headlights. The grip I held on the piece of cotton in my hands threatened to rip it apart.

The barking laughter on the other end confirmed that she understood me perfectly. I just hope she wouldn't get jealous with me, having found a group to hang out with so soon, that I considered hot. I really should have thought this through more before calling her to vent about said group.

''Okay... Yes, they are all hot. That's another weird thing about them. It's like they adopted these kids from a fucking fashion show, or a gym advert or something.'' Knowing what they are, I would hazard to guess it's one of the traits vampires use most to get close to their prey, though they wouldn't need to. Useful to hunt quietly though, lure them into your own little dungeon, before feasting on their blood. I balked at the mental image.

''You don't say. Why don't you describe the two girls for me.'' She had stopped laughing and it sounded like she was starting to get jealous. Or she was living vicariously through me.

''Well, there's Rosalie. She's the poster child for blonde bombshell if I've ever seen one. Long, straight blonde hair. Figure that's like the front page of the swimsuit issue of Sports Illustrated. Legs that go on for days.'' I chuckle to my self, hearing Audrey's slow breathing on the other end.

''And then there's Alice. She's like a petite elf, being even shorter than me. She has short, raven-black hair that points everywhere. She moves like she's dancing everywhere she goes. Eyes that you could just drown in.'' Also kind of cute when angry, despite her tiny stature, but I chose not to add that.

''Hmm. I think I need to move to Forks, B. Sorry for the inconvenience, but my people need me. You know how it goes.'' I could tell she was joking, but I entertained the idea.

''Don't tell me you're going to come turn all the ladies here into incoherent lesbian groupies?'' I asked with fake incredulity.

''Why yes, I shall, starting with these two you described. By the time I am done with them, they shall be but trembling messes mewling my name.'' Audrey jested back with a sultry tone. I could practically _see_ the grin on her face.

''Sorry to burst that bubble A, but I think they are both spoken for. Within the family, no less.'' I was actually curious to know what she would think of that. Would the stigma of incest mean any less for her? Probably not, but it could affect how severely she thinks of it with them being adopted siblings. Pillow goes up.

''Um, wow. Okay. Hot. I guess I can understand why they keep to themselves.'' And then hits me in my face, having been to stumped to catch it .If I knew Audrey as well as I think I do, I'd think she was actually kind of turned on. I tossed the pillow off the bed.

''A, really?'' I didn't need to say anything else. I knew she knew what I meant.

''What?'' She tried to play innocent, but gave up almost immediately. ''Come on, think of how fun it would be to have a sleep-over!'' With a bunch of vampires that doesn't even sleep. Okay, eww, the mental image. Just no. ''I wouldn't mind a few extra bedfellows.'' The giggle at the end makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

''Who are you, and what have you done to Audrey?'' I ask her incredulously. ''Since when were you into _that_?'' My eyes flare up as I find myself getting agitated with this line of thinking. My mind is struggling to understand why though. We had talked about fantasies when it came to sex before, as the awkward memory of having to turn down a very turned on Audrey can attest.

''Well since around puberty I guess. Since when did you become such a prude?'' Audrey's retort strikes a chord. When did I become so prudish. And the answer is there before I have to give it a second thought. My powers. It's affecting how I think on some level, whether it be because I know what they are, or that it's some sort of self-preservation mechanism.

''Small town prejudice is getting to me maybe, I don't know. Anyway, how's Phoenix doing? Has the looting and pillaging started now that I'm gone?'' I would ponder the extent of the changes in me later.

''Ohh yeah, Justin even started a small cannibal gang, running out of the ruins of the school, I think. Real crazy shit.'' The sarcasm was dripping through the phone, and I noticed something else. His name felt distant to me, even though it had only been a week. Guess a crazy threat like vampires will do that to you.

''Is he back to school yet? I thought it would take weeks for him to recover?'' Better to feign guilt than to give her clues to how messed up Forks _really_ is.

''Well he's out of the hospital, but he's still not back to school. A group of us went over to his place to say hello after hours. It didn't really seem like he was that hurt, more like he was just being lazy.'' Audrey said with some mix of disinterest and disgust. She have always been very diligent with school, so I suppose to see Justin seemingly ditching because he had an excuse was getting to her.

''That's good to hear. I hope he doesn't resent me.'' I felt like gagging, uttering such platitudes with no feeling. I was completely indifferent to that jerk now. No matter what he said or did, he would never be a threat to me again.

''Funny you should say that. He was cursing you up and down the walls of his room the entire time we were there. Insolent brat this, demon bitch that, and so on. He really needs to see a shrink.'' The loathing she held for him were clear as day, and it almost warmed my heart.

''That, or he needs to get another hit upside the head.'' I grumble out, feeling the surge of anger course through me at the insults she had relayed. From the silence on the other end, I would guess she is surprised by my sudden mood swing. ''Listen, I gotta go. I have some homework I need to get done before bed. Call you later?''

''Sure thing B. Talk to you later.'' She sounds hurt at my sudden dismissal, but says nothing of it. I would have felt more guilty if not for the possibility that I would suddenly ruin my bed and maybe even my phone in a fit of rage.

''Later A! And tell your mom I said hi!'' The last pleasantry through gritted teeth before I hit the end call button and leaped out of the bed, rushing to the window. The rush of cool air as I opened it hit my face and chest, helping me control my anger.

I really got to work on that.

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Friday morning had mostly gone off without a hitch compared to yesterday. I had even gotten to school early, which was why I was currently standing beside my truck finishing up the last bits of my trig homework that I was too tired to do last night.

The parking lot was starting to fill up by now, as some of the students started had started heading inside. I could still _see_ two vamps next to their cars parked near the entrance. Rosalie and Alice. They were talking to each other, while staring in my direction. One guess what the topic was. I didn't turn around to face them, or even acknowledge them in any fashion. I didn't actually know if they knew I had this second sight. I wondered if Edward reading my mind could see what I saw, when several things happened at once.

One of the arrogant kids that I shared a table with at lunch on monday, Tyler I believe his name was, came speeding into the parking lot. What he didn't know was that a few cars in front of him, one of the parents of a freshman was just about to pull out of his spot, and he hadn't seen Tyler coming.

A crash was inevitable with the speed Tyler was going at on this icy tarmac. I started turning around to face the danger just as the speeding car took a sharp left to avoid the reversing one. The mass and poor traction of his vans rear tires resulted in an oversteer, and he was rapidly skidding sideways. Towards _me_.

Time slowed down exponentially as my power surged through me. My hands raised towards the incoming van instinctually, but I thought better of it. There would be a lot of spectators running to the crash in a few seconds, and I didn't know if I could stop this without my cloak. Or even with it. In the back of my mind I noticed one of the silvery-neon figures dart in my direction at speeds most humans would struggle to see. The surprise made me stumble the first step around to the front of my car, away from the point of impact. What was more surprising was that it was Rosalie.

In the time it took me to get away from the crash, she had gotten to where I was standing when it started, and she looked ready to catch the van that was now merely three meters away from us. More power surged to my limbs as I felt my arms and legs start to bulge beneath my clothes, before I took a step back and grabbed a hold of Rosalie's right hand and yanked her back.

 _'This obstinate bitch better appreciate this'_ I cussed in my mind, as the look of surprise on Rosalie's face met my own. Her fingers entwined with mine as she gripped on while becoming airborne. The sound of my fingers breaking were nearly drowned out by the screeching of the tires. As she passed by me, blonde locks whipping in my face, she righted herself midair. I was briefly impressed by the core strength the feat would need, as I felt the muscles in my shoulder strained and finally snapped, causing me to wince in pain.

As the thunderous crash of the van impacting my truck sideways, Rosalie landed on her feet with ease. Her face was one of horror as she looked down to our hands, seeing my fingers bending ways they should not.

''Fuck, sorry!'' She hissed, releasing her cold steel grip from mine, inspecting the damage. The feel of her cold fingers numbed the pain somewhat, as they started to snap back into place. For the first time I could see genuine shock on her face as she witnessed it.

''Don't worry, it'll heal.'' I muttered, rubbing my shoulder as it burned with pain. I was grateful it was dulled by the power surging through me. But my shoulder seemed dislocated, and was taking longer to heal. ''Could you?'' I asked, giving a pointed look to my shoulder.

She seemed to snap out of it, and grabbed my elbow and shoulder and twisted a bit, before pushing it back into place with an audible _pop_. Screams were starting to sound around us, having only been a second since impact, and people were streaming to us.

I debated internally if I should be angry with Rosalie for causing me pain, or to be thankful she tried to help me out. I was still upset with her over monday, but I didn't feel like I would pop my cloak even with her right beside me, starting at my face. ''We really should get out of here.'' I muttered, turning my head to inspect the damage to my car. It didn't really seem to have taken much damage, other than the mirror being bent as it broke through the window of Tyler's van. His head suddenly popped up, leaning to the side to inspect the damage. His eyes bulged as he saw me standing there unharmed.

''Oh thank God you're okay! I thought I was going to hit you!'' The strained voice of Tyler piped out. His face was bleeding profusely as he had a gash going down from his hairline to halfway down his eye, and shards of broken glass pierced his skin all over. Thankfully nothing that wouldn't heal, but he would bear scars from this.

''Yeah, we managed to dodge out of the way in time just barely.'' I was going to ask him how he felt when I noticed his eyes started to bug out. Then his eyes shifted to look just past me, and he pushed back into his seat. I turned to Rosalie and quickly took in the fact that her eyes were pitch black, and her lips were raised in a snarl. The menacing look on her face gave me a brief pause, but I pushed through it. ''We need to go!'' I hissed as I put my arms on Rosalie's shoulders and pushed her backwards. The intense stare turned to me as I was forcing her back several steps. I surmised that this was the look of a vampire that was about to feed. Probably the last thing many humans had seen before their lives were prematurely ended.

I couldn't tell if she was completely in control at this point, as while she looked like she wanted to tear my head off and feed on my blood, she was letting me push her back slowly but surely. I could _see_ behind us that the other kids had surrounded the cars and were focused on Tyler, although a few looks were spared in our direction. Hopefully I obscured most of Rosalie's face from their prying eyes.

I hoped I was far enough away that Tyler wouldn't hear me bark her name, not that he would hear much over the sound of all the kids rushing to him. ''Rosalie!'' I shook her shoulders hard, trying to knock her out of it. All it did was make her release a threatening growl, so I did the next best thing. Whatever way you look at it, this was as stupid as you could probably get with dozens of humans milling about and a vampire in your sights, but I didn't know what else to do. With my open palm flying through the air, I noted another silvery-neon outline at high speeds heading towards us. The tiny form quickly appeared beside us, holding onto my wrist gingerly, just shy of Rosalie's face.

''Rose! Get a grip!'' Alice hissed out, grabbing a hold of Rosalie's right arm and squeezing so hard I could hear something akin to the sound of stone crumbling. It was almost comical to see her nearly lifting her sister up to the side with one hand, while still being more than a head shorter. At which point I released my grip and crossed my arms in front of them.

''I need to get out of here!'' Rosalie hissed, trying to retreat out of Alice's grasp. I looked her straight in her black eyes, mine probably flaring red. Not that I could tell by the reflection, as I just noticed my glasses were gone from my face. _Looking_ back to the scene behind us, I noted that they were lying in the grass near the front of my truck. Must have fallen off when I pulled Rosalie away earlier.

''Rosalie! Calm down!'' Her eyes met mine, and I noticed they were slowly regaining their usual golden color. She was standing as still as a statue. Talk about deer in the headlights. ''We need to act normal. That means no sprinting off at vampire speeds right next to a crowd of humans. Okay?'' At this point I took note of everyone in the lot milling around, and that coach Clapp was currently on the phone. He had probably called nine-one-one. In front of me, Rosalie nodded rapidly, which messed up her perfect blonde hair.

Alice looked to me with a look that seemed like a mixture of embarrassment and gratitude. She locked elbows with Rosalie and started walking at normal pace towards their car. I closed my eyes and let the power in my fade back, feeling the range of my vision slowly decrease. When I felt somewhat confident my eyes were back to normal I turned to follow. The adrenaline and power being mostly gone, I could feel my muscles being quite sore and tickling ever so slightly. Ten or so steps later, the feeling was gone, probably having healed.

''Holy... Are you okay?'' Alice piped up as I caught up to them. Rosalie was already seated in her car, and with a slight nod in my direction, she drove off. There was probably a good explanation for why she left, but I couldn't figure out why. The immediate danger had passed, right?

''Yeah I'm good.'' I didn't bother telling her I felt completely drained. There was nothing she could do about that. ''Good thing your sister managed to snap out of it in time.'' The way Alice's face contorted in what I could only guess were a mix of confusion and shock didn't do her any favors. If my ears didn't deceive me, I think she even manged to snort somewhat quietly.

''Ohh _Rosalie_ snapped out of it, did she?'' The tiny elf's hands were dragged roughly through her short black hair. ''I don't know how _you_ stopped it, but _she-_ '' one hand pointed in the direction of the red convertible driving down the road. ''-was going to kill half of the people in the parking lot!'' The statement didn't even phase me, to my own surprise. I did however feel a sting of pride over the fact that I was apparently the one who stopped it.

''So much for your vehement defense of your family. Didn't take much for one of you to nearly end up feeding on humans, did it?'' I whispered exasperatedly, immediately regretting my words as I saw Alice's face wince. ''I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that.''

''No, you're right. It wouldn't take much for one of us to kill a human. In fact, it is hard for us not to do so.'' Her eyes were drawn to the ground as she spoke. I finally was able to imagine them actually abstaining from feeding on humans, seeing her like this. And it made me question my own sense of morality, imagining what it must be like for them to go to school, surrounded by temptation in such a sense.

I had claimed not to care if they fed on humans, but the fact that they apparently tried so hard not to made me feel relieved. Somewhere along my line of thinking I had conflated my wish not to judge them for what they needed for survival, with my misanthropy.

I must have overestimated my dislike of humans to have this reaction, but I could not figure out why. As these thoughts were swimming in my head, Alice's eyes locked onto mine with a look of determination.

''But that doesn't mean that we should. And it doesn't mean that we should _want_ to.'' Her jaw was set, with golden eyes boring into mine. It felt like the cacophony behind me suddenly died down to a muted hum as we stared at each other. And a strange feeling bubbled inside me. Anticipation.

The prospect of my future suddenly felt a lot brighter than they had when I woke up this morning.

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 **AN: I hope you enjoyed reading, and I would love it if you could tell me what you think!**


	11. Deliberation

**AN: So I made the chapter a little longer than usual this time, to make up for the delay with the last one. Hope you all enjoy!**

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 **Deadly Affection – Reimagined**

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of it's characters. I just play around with them.

 **Chapter 11: Deliberation**

 **Bella PoV**

The beating of my own heart was the first sound to come back to me. Then slowly but surely, so did the rest of the world. The screaming had abated to a multitude of voice talking simultaneously, which effectively drowned everything else out. Not as loud, but just as deafening.

I was just about to ask Alice if we should go inside when I noticed a figure walking up to us from behind. I could tell who it was, and I already knew this was just going to make my day worse. Perhaps we should have left with Rosalie.

''Ms. Swan? Ms. Cullen? Are you okay?'' Coach Clapp asked, standing just a few steps behind me. I stepped forward to stand shoulder to shoulder with Alice, then turned around to face him. To my surprise, the man looked like he was on edge. Like this whole thing had actually scared him. His pupils were dilated and a bead of sweat had started forming on his forehead. Then again, it was nice to see that he genuinely cared. Even though it was about to make my day so tedious.

''Yeah coach, we're good.'' Alice offered for confirmation next to me. ''I wasn't near them when it happened, but I didn't find a scratch on either of them. Emmett did take Rosalie home though, she was quite shook up by the whole thing.'' An innocent smile graces her features, before she throws a look my way. What is this little imp up to?

''Like she said, not a scratch. Is Tyler okay?'' I asked him, trying to switch the subject away from myself. I _see_ Alice's smile turn devious for a brief second, as if I was playing into her hand somehow.

''I'm going to take Mr. Crowley to the ER to get stitched up and check for any internal injuries. The police have been alerted and will probably have questions about what happened. You should probably come too.'' And there it was, my nice quiet day at school ruined.

It was bad enough that I had ditched after lunch on monday, but somehow the Cullen's had made that just go away. Charlie hadn't heard a thing about it, but there was no way to put this cat back in the bag. Perhaps vamps can mind-control people? Doubtful, but that would be about the only way to fix this mess. In any case, I seem to have become some sort of magnet for trouble along with these powers of mine.

I really wanted to ask if that was strictly necessary, but I knew that would gain me nothing more than to look like a petulant teenager. And I didn't know the coach well enough yet to be able to weasel out of it. I had no doubt _Alice_ would be able to get me out of this, if she _wanted_ to. The positively diabolical smirk she didn't even pretend to hide anymore crushed that hope.

''Sure thing coach.'' I answered, trying my best not to let the irritation bleed into my voice. With a nod, he turned around and started walking to his car. In it I could see Tyler already seated, with a towel filled with ice held to his forehead.

My knuckles popped with the force I was clenching them as I started following him. Looking over my shoulder back to Alice, I saw her grinning like a loon. ''I'm so going to get you back for this, you imp!'' I whispered, and the little rascal literally blew a kiss to me in response. The fucking nerve!

Feeling the range of my vision extend, I recalled the fact that I didn't have my glasses anymore, and quickly shut down the anger.

''Tell my dad I said hi!'' Alice called after me with laugh, before she turned and entered the school. We were going to the hospital. Where people went when they were injured. And her dad worked there? Isn't that just a _little_ dangerous to a vampire prone to literal bloodlust?

''I'm just going to pick up my glasses first, if that's okay?'' I made sure to phrase it as a question, even though it wasn't. I didn't wait for a response before I diverted from the course and headed straight for them. Most of the other kids had already went to class by this time, so there were no eyes on me as I went straight to them in the grass. They were undamaged thanks to the soft landing. Finally one thing that is going my way.

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''This is really not necessary.'' The nurse wasn't having any of it, as I had already guessed, but I really didn't want to have her notice any peculiar details that I may not have seen for myself yet. I didn't bother trying to hide my huff of annoyance as she pumped up the armband to test my blood pressure. The idea of surging my power into my bicep to rip the Velcro loose briefly passed my mind.

Outside the door I heard a familiar gruff voice, and my hopes of not bothering Charlie were thoroughly crushed. A few seconds later the door opened, revealing my dad in full cop uniform striding in with a clear purpose. I wonder what they told him, for him to seem so on edge.

''Hi dad.'' I announce, waving to him with my unencumbered hand to catch his attention. The response is immediate, and he locks onto me and more or less power-walk towards me.

''Isabella! Are you okay?'' Charlie asks as he almost bumping into the nurse, trying to get to me. First giving me a quick once-over, he gives the nurse a look for an indication for something being wrong.

''I'm fine, I wasn't even close to getting hit. Everyone is just overreacting, is all.'' I say a tad loudly in frustration, and just after I _see_ Tyler turn his face in my direction _again_. ''I swear to God Tyler, if you try to apologize to me again, I'm going to throttle you! It was a victimless accident! Get over it!'' He flinches in response and turn towards the nurse patching him up.

The power surging through me from the anger increases my range enough for me to catch a silvery outline moving towards us. Time to meet the head of their coven, I guess. Not wanting to seem hostile, or to have another witness to what sets me apart, I close my eyes and take a deep breath. The warmth recedes quickly, and I open my eyes and exhale just as the nurse nervously takes the pressure pad off of my arm, jotting down some numbers on her sheet. I wonder if this power of mine would affect my blood pressure in some way. In any event, I believe the temper tantrum would skew the conclusion she would draw.

Switching my focus to Charlie, I gave him a deadpan expression to convey just how annoyed I was about this whole situation. A curt nod told me I had gotten the point across, before he straightened up and relaxed his shoulders.

''Good. And when it comes to you-'' Charlie suddenly started talking louder, before he turned sideways and pointed to Tyler, still with his back to us. ''- we're going to have a little chat regarding your license!'' The poor guy shrank in on himself, and despite my dissatisfaction with Tyler, I felt bad for him. It wasn't just his fault this happened.

''Dad, take it easy on him. He was trying to avoid a collision with a guy reversing into his path, when he lost control due to the ice.'' Not that he shouldn't have slowed down earlier with how much ice there were on the road. Charlie harrumphed as if not convinced, before turning back towards me.

The crack of a door opening drew our attention, before a deathly pale, blond man in his mid-thirties stepped forwards with a smile. Golden eyes and all. ''I heard the chief's daughter was here.'' His voice was soft and melodious, another thing he shared with his coven. Probably even their species. I could also tell from the inflection that he was on friendly terms with my dad, which had me on edge briefly, before recalling Alice's words.

''Hey there Carlisle.'' My dad greeted him, as the vampire moved around him and stood facing me. A pulse of power tickled down my spine as we stared at each other. Sizing each other up. I certainly was not backing down. There was some tingling in the back of my eyes followed by the slight tilt of his head. He looked fascinated for a second, before blinking and catching Charlie's eye.

I blinked myself, forcing it to recede again. Thanks to the close proximity, I could still _see_ him even with my powers shut down. His form seemed different from the other Cullen's. Not by much, but the _shade_ of silver was somewhat darker. Like it had lost some of it's luster. Maybe that's just what happens when vampires get older.

''I'll take it from here, Jackie.'' He said softly, holding his hand forward to receive the clipboard from her. She acquiesced and left without a word. He did mutter a quiet thank-you after her, which caused her to speed up her exit. Weird.

Then out came the small flashlight. Time check for mental damage I see.

Holding up one finger, he told me to follow it, while intermittently shining the light into my eye. Then the other. I felt somewhat humiliated, even though I understood it was literally his job forcing him to do this. That and a healthy dose of curiosity, I'd wager.

''I would say that you might experience some mild PTSD, but your vitals look good, and you hardly seem phased by it from what I heard. I think you'll be fine, Isabella.'' He stated with a warm smile, and for a brief second I could imagine him doting on his five kids with the very same one.

''Just Bella. And if you don't mind my asking, is Rosalie okay?'' His smile grew even brighter at her mention. It was Charlie who responded quickest to the new development.

''Rosalie? Your girl?'' He looked between me and Carlisle in confusion, before the vampire nodded towards him.

''My eldest. I wanted to thank you for that, Bella. Alice told me how you pushed her out of harms way.'' His choice of words were not an accident, and that told me he had a great deal of experience hiding in plain sight. It left me to wonder about their family dynamic. Was he the father, or the leader? Or both?

''Don't mention it. Just trying to make sure everyone gets to walk away.'' I reply, noticing his almost imperceptible nod.

''You pushed her out of the way? _You_?'' Dad piped up, sounding perturbed. The feeling of indignation quickly turned to humor, remembering how accident-prone I used to be.

''As a matter of fact I did. One would almost think I've inherited that from somewhere.'' I joked, poking him in the side gently. The signature Swan blush made his cheeks turn red as he grinned and laughed, before hugging me tightly. I truly haven't appreciated just how much I love my dad. I felt some pressure at the base of my skull from my powers, but I payed it no mind. I just hugged him harder.

Which was perhaps a bad idea as I heard Charlie grunt from the air escaping his lungs. Note to self, be extremely careful with humans when powered up.

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Charlie dropped me back off at school just before lunch, to his chagrin. It was cute and all, but being away from school meant I would have to do more homework to catch up later. And if there was one thing I hated more than being at school, it was doing homework.

Class wasn't out just yet, so after I had put my backpack away in my locker, I had the lunchroom almost to myself. The kind lady behind the counter even let me buy food early. She did frown at just how much food I had stacked on my plate though.

Trying to reflect on the paternal figure of this coven I was quickly becoming networked with, I came to the conclusion that there was a greater likelihood of them actually being 'vegetarian' than not. Charlie had bragged about how much better the hospital had gotten after the good doctor had started working there. Cases of chronic illnesses that hadn't been diagnosed before his tenure and the like. Supernatural senses must really be great when applied to medicine, which must be difficult when the subjects were the main source of sustenance for his kind.

Part of me really wanted to get to know him, if only to learn how he managed to overcome this at the same time as studying to become a doctor at his relatively young age.

After wolfing down several sandwiches, followed by a few slices of pizza and a chocolate bar, the bell rang. The sound of kids celebrating lunchtime down the hall grated on my already frizzled nerves.

I did find some joy in the smile on Alice's face as she entered my senses from behind. Not wanting this little fox to try anymore funny business, at least for today, I waved behind me to tell her I knew of her arrival. The pixie didn't act surprised at all, as she skipped her way over to my table. The positively massive form of one Emmett Cullen following quickly behind her did set off some alarms in my head. There were no subconscious flare-up this time.

I turned sideways to greet them as they sat down beside me with a tentative hello. Alice was beaming like there were no tomorrow right next to me, tapping on the table rapidly, as if waiting for a queue before speaking. Emmett however, had a look of seriousness about him, looking towards the table and fiddling with his hands. In response to the coming conversation, I took off my shades and placed them on the neck of my t-shirt.

''We haven't been properly introduced yet, so I guess I better start with that. Hello, I'm Emmett Cullen.'' His entire being seemed uncomfortable as he formulated his thoughts. From how he'd seemed the other day when I had spoken to them, it occurred to me that he very rarely put on a serious front. This guy had laughed boisterously when I had been serious, talking about my disregard for the rest of the human population.

And as such, this was probably hard for him, to an almost complete stranger no less. So I reached out my right hand towards him with only a smile. He looked down to the appendage, before looking up to me, trying to discern my intentions. A second passed, although it felt like much longer. Then he grasped my hand gingerly in his massive paw. To let him know I wasn't that fragile, I let a flare of power surge into my arm, grasping his hand tightly and taking charge of the shake.

''Hello Emmett Cullen. I'm Isabella Swan, although I prefer Bella. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance.'' The look on his face was comical as he stared down at my hand forcibly shaking his up and down. It quickly turned to a challenging smile as he put some pressure in turn. I couldn't stop the wince as he slowly crushed my hand, and he stopped as soon as he noticed.

''Sorry, I'm easily excited. Or so I'm told.'' He apologized with a genuine smile, letting go of my hand and folding his back on top of the table.

''It's okay, I started it anyway. So was there something on your mind Emmett?'' I asked him, rubbing my sore hand.

''What am I here? Yesterdays trash?'' Alice asked with a petulant whine, having crossed her arms in front of her when we had paid her no attention. The image of a small child being refused candy crossed my mind, which made the next quip impossible for me to resist.

''Quiet dear, the grown-ups are talking.'' With a pat on top of her head with my good hand for good measure. Being a vampire, with the ability to see the future no less, she could have easily stopped me, but she did not. And with how she smiled from ear to ear as Emmett roared in laughter, I think I learned something important about her as a person.

People around us in the cafeteria turned around to see what the fuss was about, which set me off into a bout of laughter as well, with Alice following soon after with polite chuckles. It took the better part of a minute for me and Emmett to stop laughing.

''Thanks. I really needed that.'' Emmett said quietly as the usual hum of the cafeteria resumed. Sitting up straight in his chair, he turned towards me, staring straight into my eyes. ''Listen, I don't know how much you know about us, but the thing is, Rosalie is my mate.'' I blinked a few times in confusion, to which he paused briefly for me to be able to catch up. Mate. What a... primal, way to put it. And it felt like there was something more to it from his inflection. Like it was a cosmological constant or something. A fact that would never change.

''Alice could properly explain it to you when you have some more time, but for now, I just wanted to thank you. She called me after she left and told me happened. What almost happened. She probably won't tell you in so many words, but you saved her from her darker impulses. And for that, you have my eternal gratitude.'' I could tell from the look in his eyes that he was dead serious. The nervous swallow was probably not missed by the two other supers at the table, but they said nothing of it.

A flashback of the look on Rosalie's face as I pushed her away from Tyler's van crossed my mind. It was nothing short of feral, yet in the moment it had barely registered. Thinking back on it now though, I was questioning how I had the nerve to be so physical in the moment. And I had nearly slapped her for gods sake. What the fuck was I thinking!?

''Hey, are you okay?'' Alice asked quietly, placing a hand on my shoulder. To which I instinctually pulled away. The surprised look on both Alice and Emmett's face gave me an inclination to what my own must be like right now. Like a dam in the back of my mind, I felt on the precipice of going full cloak right then and there in the cafeteria.

The quiet voice in the back of my mind telling me this would lead to isolation and misery was the only thing stopping the raging voice screaming to avoid the danger. The fact that Alice slowly pulled her hand back and scooted closer to Emmett helped ease the pressure slightly.

''Do you want us to leave?'' She couldn't hide the hurt in her voice as she asked the question she already knew the answer to. I closed my eyes, finally remembering how my eyes must be blazing right now, and my shades weren't hiding them. I stayed as still as I could, fearing any movement would open the floodgates. A second in silence, and Alice took charge and slowly stood up, motioning for Emmett to do the same. Being very careful to not make and sudden moves, they stepped directly away from me, and headed for the exit to the outside.

The voice urging me to flee quieted as they left the range of my senses, letting me focus on the other voice. Feeling the premise of ruining everything for myself right here and now, a defiant voice grew. I won't let them. I won't let them make me loose control.

Breathing slowly, in through my nose and out through my mouth, I counted to thirty. My raging heart slowed down considerably, as did my mind. My powers were locked away again, but they seemed raw, closer to the surface than usual. Opening my eyes again, I put my shades back on, and turned to look around in the cafeteria. No eyes were fixed in my direction, though some heads did turn as I scanned the room. Jessica waved at me as she saw me looking in her direction.

Damn, I hope she didn't see Alice and Emmett leave me like that. It didn't seem like she had any idea from the smile on her face, but I didn't trust her not to try to deceive me. Angela I was more sure of, but she probably hadn't seen anything, with her sitting with her back towards my table.

A beep in my pocket caught my interest. Getting it out and unlocking it, I could see that it was Alice that had texted me.

 _'Are you okay?'_ My mind stumbled, trying to recollect what had just happened. We had been having fun before I freaked.

 _'Yeah. Sorry for getting all weird.'_ The text went back to Alice. I would find a better way to explain, but first I had to figure it out myself.

 _'Can we come back in to talk about it?'_ She replied within seconds. She must be really anxious to solve this issue. I wonder what she's seeing in the future. Focusing on a plan of action, I tried to will myself to make it reality, so it would be easier for Alice to see.

 _'I think I'll need some time to settle. Calm my mind. Actually, would it be terribly selfish of me to ask if you could tell Edward to skip bio?'_ I didn't know if any supers would settle with me right now. I was coping with the humans still milling about in the cafeteria well enough, so maybe the routine of classes could help.

 _'I'm sure he would love an excuse to skip. Can I at least see you in the parking lot before you leave for the weekend?'_ I was torn by her request. She had told me she didn't make friends often. From my reaction to her touch, it would be somewhat logical to assume it had something to do with her. A frightened mind makes terrible conclusions.

 _'I think I'd need some more time than that. You know where I live, so how about you come over tomorrow?'_ I hit send and immediately started texting again, this time to soothe her worry. _'Please trust me when I say it wasn't because of you personally. It was just that I recalled the look on your sister's face from this morning, and realized how dangerous you really are. And I completely freaked'_ Hitting send again, I paused and thought about my reaction. Perhaps a kind of survival instinct, locking away part of my mind for a time to better handle a dangerous situation? Or I was just slowly going insane, which seemed equally, if not more, likely.

 _'I'm still having a rough time to learn about what I can do, and what it does to me in turn. Please tell Emmett I'm sorry for being so rude after just hearing his proclamation.'_ A third text sent without a reply from Alice, and it kind of made me nervous. Why was I nervous to hear her response.

It felt like time dragged on as I looked at my phone, placed on the table in front of me. The sounds of the cafeteria picked up volume, probably from the fact that most of the kids had finished eating. I was contemplating getting up to put my tray away when I finally heard the beep and saw the screen light up.

 _'Okay, But you owe me a shopping trip now, just so you know. And Emmett said not to worry.'_ A feeling of dread went down my spine as I resigned myself to the fact that I would have to survive that in the near future. The imp on a shopping spree was probably going to be as dangerous as Rosalie.

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Edward didn't show up for class, something I'd have to remember to thank him for later. Not that he was all that friendly, nevertheless I appreciated it. Getting to double down on some schoolwork, feeling a sense of normalcy for at least an hour, really helped my mind calm down. It felt strange as I left my bio class. I wanted more.

To be able to go back to being the same old ignorant Bella, facing life without a clue what was out there. The simplicity of it was seducing.

It actually took some effort to keep myself from fantasizing about it as I started running laps in gym. The hand was dealt, and these were my cards. To be abnormal and prone to panic attacks.

I wonder what Rosalie thought this morning. How she interpreted the shit that went down. Would she feel abhorred by her actions? From what I gathered through the words of the rest of her family, it was a rare thing to end up in a situation like that. The fact that nothing that could not be undone happened should alleviate any guilt, surely.

The more important question was nagging me though. Why did she not attack _me_. Every fiber of her being must have been screaming at her to rip my throat out, for denying her the price that was present.

It never left me again, for the whole gym period. That one question. _Why didn't she._

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The sound of Charlie's cruiser coming to a stop outside brought a smile to my face as I just finished setting the table. Checking the timer for the casserole still in the oven, I figured there was enough time for some chitchat. Also called interrogation by some.

''Hey dad!'' I called out as I stepped out of the kitchen. He was just hanging up his belt before he turned to me with a smile.

''Hey there Bells. Have a good day at school?'' He didn't seem at all concerned with what happened this morning anymore, so I would hazard a guess that his day had gone smoothly after that.

''Yeah, it was okay.'' I didn't want to bother him about the little panic attack. It wouldn't benefit anyone. ''Dinner is just about ready, I made tuna casserole.'' Watching Charlie's upper lip twitch had me smiling again, but he seemed to accept it.

''Sounds wonderful. Just let me get changed.'' He walked over to me and pulled me in for a hug. ''I'm so glad you're okay, kid.'' He whispered, placing a kiss on top of my head. It occurred to me that he wasn't over it. But then again, what parent would be.

As he let me go, and started walking up the stairs, I called after him. ''Won't get rid of me that easily dad.''

''Better not.'' He said solemnly, before shutting his door.

I had hoped to get to ask him a few questions before dinner. Not that it mattered much, I could just ask him while we ate.

I took the casserole out of the oven and placed it on top of the stove to cool down. Then I pulled the salad I had prepared earlier out of the fridge and placed it on the table. Charlie was really taking a long time to change. That or my impatience just made it seem like it.

Tapping my fingers on the table to the rhythm of another ear-worm I'd recently started listening to. I waited. And waited. And got bored. Even more bored. Seriously, how much time does he need!? I was almost tempted to power up slightly, if only to see what he was doing, but thought better of it. I know I wouldn't like the breach of privacy if our roles were reversed.

To occupy my time I pulled up my phone and started going through my messages. There were no new ones unfortunately, but Alice's name did catch my attention. So I opened the log, reading back through the conversation we had had earlier.

I really hope Edward didn't take offense to asking him to ditch. He seemed like an okay-enough guy to hang out with. It was just bad phrasing and or timing that mucked up what could have been a great start to a friendship.

Which when I thought about it, was really common for me even back at my old school. My mind would make connections that was seemingly way off-topic for others. Thus they would end up not bothering with me. Only a few ever tried. Even fewer succeeded.

That was something that I seemed to have in common with Alice, which was something I actually found endearing about her. And she's even keeping secrets for me, even though her family were unsure of my intentions. I guess they still are, seeing as I've not even spoken with all of them present. That should probably change soon.

I started typing a text to her as Charlie started coming down the stairs, so I quickly put it back in my pocket. Then I wanted to facepalm as I reasoned that Charlie wouldn't think anything of it. Even if he did, what was he going to do, wrestle it out of my hands? That train of thought didn't go anywhere productive so I just forgot about it, and got up to get the main dish.

''Mmmh, that smells good!'' Charlie announced as he walked in, moving to sit just as I had placed the casserole on the table. ''Even looks edible. Are you sure you learned to cook from your mother?'' The teasing smirk was evident on his face even with my back turned.

I put the rags down near the sink as I turned around to him. ''Are you implying you teaching me would be any better?'' The smirk turned into a chuckle as I took a seat.

''Now that's just being cruel, Bells.'' He replied with little gusto, his focus turned to the food rather than the taunt. Big scoops of goop were tossed onto his plate without care for any spills. His new shirt got a few new stains not even 5 minutes in.

''Do remember some of the green stuff too, dad.'' I chided him, which he just ignored as he started digging in to his food. I put some on my own plate and tasted it as well, finding that the dish had indeed been a success. Then I put some salad on my plate, before pushing the bowl towards Charlie. He just moved his plate to one side to avoid it like a child would. I've never seen Charlie so... obsessed, with food. It disturbed be so much that I actually found myself checking his _aura_ to make sure he was still all human.

There was no abnormalities, so whatever caused this was probably not related to anything supernatural. I decided to just let it go, and proceeded to appease my abnormally big appetite. There was no way to get a word out of Charlie with the way he was stuffing his face.

And then he went ahead and refilled his plate, having finished the first batch. This was actually making me nervous.

''Dad? Are you okay?'' I asked quietly, trying to make eye contact. His chocolate brown eyes met my own, with some pasta stuck to his beard. I scratched over my lip to give him a hint, which he picked up fast and plucked it out, only to stuff it in his mouth.

''Yeah, I'm good Bells. Why?'' I could tell he was anxious to return to his food.

''You're stuffing your face like you haven't seen food for a week.'' I pointed out, trying to not sound to judgmental.

''I didn't get to have lunch today. There was this chase on the 101 after a car that had been stolen. He made it all the way to New London before we could stop him.'' Charlie sounded really excited as he spoke, so I guess there wasn't usually much action in his job up here. One could almost mistake it as a form of gratitude that something had gone down for once.

''Did anyone get hurt?'' I could guess the answer, but it never hurts to play dumb. He just shook his head as he dove back into his food. I played around with my food for a few seconds, trying to figure a way to lead into the questions I actually wanted to ask, but found none. Straight forward it was.

''Dad, how well do you know the Cullen's?'' This time he put his fork down and drank some water before replying.

''What do you mean Bells? Like how familiar I am with them?'' He was eyeing me suspiciously, folding his hands together and resting his chin upon them. I just nodded for him to continue. ''Well I know they are good people. Carlisle has been a blessing at the hospital. His wife Esme does interior decorating pro bono, often for those less fortunate. And their kids never gets into trouble, and are very well behaved as far as I hear. Why do you ask?'' He studies my face as he speaks, as if trying to discern the reason for my questions.

And I don't really have a good way to explain why I'm asking. It's not like I can go; hey, well I found out they're all vampires, and I'm thinking of joining the band! Thinking about it, does the myth of vampires turning humans come from more ancient times, or is that more recent? If they could, would it work on me? Would I want it to?

I had to toss those thoughts aside for now, Charlie was still waiting for an answer.

''Well... I've sort of started to become friends with them...'' I lead on, trying to find a way to navigate this without arousing suspicion. How could I say I was concerned with their lifestyle choices without outing them as vampires? And besides, it wasn't like they wouldn't try to keep a charade up that they were good guys, if they did in fact eat people.

The futility of even asking this became clear to me. I couldn't trust the Cullen's, or anyone else, when it came to their intentions. If they were lying and deceiving everyone, there would be no way for me to tell. I would have to trust my gut. And my desperation for someone to talk to about what was happening to me would affect even that.

A leap of faith. It was the only choice I could see. The only way to move forward.

''...And you're concerned about the rumors?'' Dad added, trying to understand where my train of thought was going. Not that it was correct, but it was a lifeline to get out of this conversation without anymore suspicion from the chief of police.

''Yeah. The other kids that has opened up to me seems to have some distaste for them. And it feels like I would have to chose one group over the other.'' Charlie huffs, relaxing his pose and grabbing his fork again.

''I've heard the rumors down at the station. That some of the kids are together, right?'' I nod at his question, waiting for him to carry on. ''They are just rumors. And if your other friends can't accept that you want to get to know them because of rumors, I don't think they're worth your time.'' He spoke with an almost angry tone, before starting to shovel more food into his mouth.

As I returned to my food again, I couldn't help a smile from forming on my lips. Alice and the others had never confirmed they were together explicitly, even though I believe they are. But that was probably the most insignificant secret they had. It was also nice to see dad come to their defense for being discriminated against because of a rumor. He never could stand injustice.

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Having finished my extra homework from being gone from school this morning, I got my coat and headed downstairs. Charlie was snoring on the couch, with the TV running a string of commercials. I almost laughed, seeing his belt opened after he had been complaining earlier about eating too much.

Checking to see if I had everything, I quietly made my way out the door. It was already dark outside, the sun having set hours ago. Getting into my car, I hoped that the sound of the engine starting wouldn't wake Charlie. Would the sound of the beast roaring to life wake the man in a food-coma? It was a risk I had to take.

Backing up onto the road, I drove through town and headed north towards lake Pleasant. I seemed to have a faint recollection of a secluded swing set on the northern edge. It would be a nice place to think, if it was even there.

The ear-worm that had gotten stuck in my head started playing again, which my phone identified as Tove Lo- Stay high. I put my phone to repeat the song for the rest of the twenty minute trip.

I didn't really know where to go when I came to the lake, so I headed up a service road and parked at the end, opting to go on foot for the rest of the way. The trek through the woods was arduous, and took almost more time than the ride here, but I made it. Thankfully I didn't have to contend with the cold due to my powers.

A pair of rusty swings stood close to the water in what could barely be called a clearing. There were no roads to this place, and looking closer, I couldn't really remember ever being here. I was perplexed as to who, or even how someone had managed to get a swing set in here. But I paid it little mind.

Sitting down on one of the two swings, I started gently rocking back and forth.

It was nice to see that spring was on the horizon, with the lake already freed of ice. There was barely a ripple to it's surface, as it reflected the stars in the cloudless night.

I couldn't stop my mind from jumping through several mental simulations of what my next choice would entail. There were no way back anymore. Not really. I had already come to the conclusion that it wasn't something I could live with.

So I had to take a leap of faith. Trust that a bunch of vampires wasn't trying to trick me for some nefarious scheme. Or just for the hell of it.

Taking out my phone, I flipped through the contacts and found Alice's name. And there it was again. The anticipation. In the dead of night, it was completely deafening.

Hitting call, I put the phone up to my ear, and before the first ring, her melodious voice was filling my mind.

''Hello.'' Her voice was quiet, although in the silence I was seated, it didn't feel like it. Snapping out of my daze, I registered how quick she was to answer the phone.

''Hi.'' I started, trying to think of what to say. ''I'm sorry.'' It was a good a place to start as any. What does one say after freaking out like that.

''I understand Bella. Do you feel better now?'' The concern sounded true. If it were a lie, she was too good at it for me to tell.

''Yeah. You knew I was going to call didn't you?'' Damn imp with her visions. How could one ever really surprise that family when they had visions of the future and a mind-reader.

''You've been deciding to call, then decide not to, on and on for almost an hour. It's kind of hard not to wait with the phone in my hands after that.'' Alice sounded annoyed, yet I felt like it didn't really bother her.

''Sorry. I'm not giving you more headaches am I?'' The chime of her laughter on the other side is a brief, but welcome treat.

''Stop apologizing Bella, and get to what you want to say.'' Being bombarded with the same vision over and over again must really grate on her nerves it seems.

''Okay. So do you see where I am?'' Can't just roll over for her either, gotta give her some challenge.

''You're on a swing next to lake Pleasant. I know the place.'' Alice assured me.

''Damn. That's just... wow. So yeah, tomorrow. Could we meet here? At eight AM?'' Stumbling through my words at the shock, I prepared to drop the bombshell that I hoped she hadn't seen.

''Yeah I could meet you there. Are you sure you won't have an incident again?'' Alice asked quietly. I didn't _know_ I wouldn't. But I knew I had to try to get up on the horse again as soon as possible.

''It'll be fine. And Alice. If she wants to, could you bring Rosalie?''

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 **AN: So yes, Bella is kinda fucked in the head. I hope this does not come as a surprise to anyone. Two steps forwards, one step back. I feel like I've heard that somewhere. XD**

 **Please let me know what you think! ;)**


	12. The Audition

**AN: This ended up being a lot longer than I had imagined. I had first intended that this chapter would include more scenes, but it ended up being more to explain that I first thought. On a positive note, the chapter is just about fifty percent longer than usual, so there's that. I hope you all enjoy reading!**

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 **Deadly Affection – Reimagined**

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of it's characters. I just play around with them.

 **Chapter 12: The Audition**

 **Bella PoV**

The sound of Alice stuttering was the most comical thing I've heard all week. I full on guffawed into the silent night without a care of being heard.

''Run that by me again Alice, I didn't quite catch it.'' I ask, after I hear a blur of words all melding into one, coming from the other end.

''I said what on God's green earth do you want Rosalie there for?!'' Alice shouted in a high pitched whine. It was actually so loud that I recoiled away from the phone at the outburst.

''Calm down Alice. I just need to ask her a question or two. And only if she wants to come, you don't get to force or coerce her.'' It would be impossible to get any answers from her otherwise by my reckon.

I did indeed surprise her by my request, even though she had seen me calling. I suppose it was a recent decision to add that tidbit, so that might be why she didn't catch it. The way I figure this whole deal to work was that the whole coven had to accept me. That included Rosalie. Hence the attempt to make nice.

''But why _Rosalie_?!'' Alice whined back, sounding like a spoiled brat that had to share her favorite toy with someone. The dull thud of what I imagined was a pillow hitting a wall was barely audible.

''Because of the two incidents that involved her this week. Please understand where I'm coming from Alice. I want to trust you. But how can I trust one of you when I haven't even met all of you. When I don't really understand how you all relate to each other.'' I decided to reveal a bit of information to shift her focus away from the Rosalie deal. And it worked.

''Do you mean? Really? You'll come over to our place?!'' I could hear her giddiness over the phone, before a brief silence. ''But you haven't decided. How does talking to Rosalie change your mind on whether or not to come to our home?'' I giggled, imagining the puzzled look on her face as she lay on her bed.

''Because there is something I need to know.'' I answered simply, kicking the dirt beneath my feet. ''I really need to go Alice. It's getting late, and I need to get home before Charlie freaks out.'' I can feel butterflies in my stomach forming already, imagining how the meeting will go in the morning.

''Okay. We'll be there at eight. Be safe Bella.'' Alice lets out with a sigh, before hanging up. For a moment I just sit there in the swing with the phone in my hand, looking at the reflection of the stars in the water. One moment they were so clear, before a gust of wind disturbed the surface, muddling the picture.

If there was going to be trouble, I better be ready for a fight.

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I stood near the swing, looking at the tree I had drained only a few hours earlier. It didn't look much worse for wear, with how little I had needed to top off my energy.

It wasn't even seven in the morning, but sleep didn't find me so I figured I might as well wait here. I didn't really know where they all lived, but as much as I had gathered from last week my guess would be somewhere south of Forks. That meant they would probably come from the same direction I had toward the clearing. Only they _were_ vampires, so they could probably come from any direction that they wanted. The undead doesn't feel fatigue as far as I remember.

The weather had taken a turn for the better this morning. As far as I could see out of the clearing as I was in, there was not a cloud in the sky. This also meant that it had been really cold in the air last night, as proven by the thick layer of mist lying on top of the lake. But the sun was just about to rise above the top of the mountains behind me, so it was looking up.

Taking off my shoes and socks, I sat down on the bank and tested the water out with my feet. I was again reminded that it was in fact, still march. The water was fucking freezing, even with my newfound powers. Even on the edge of flaring my cloak, it still hurt my feet. One would think the snow in the trees and the forest floor would be obvious enough.

The part of me berating myself actually made another part of me mad. And the fucking stupidity of even taking the effort to process that mental gymnastics hurt my brain.

With a tired sigh, I stood up and walked over to the swing. Gently lowering myself into one of them, I started pivoting back and forth on my toes. Thankfully walking barefoot on the snowy ground didn't hurt, though why I reacted so differently to the water, I do not know. Maybe it had something to do with how efficient water was to transfer heat, compared to the snow? But snow was just water that was _extra_ cold, so how did that make sense?

The 'beep' of my phone going off drew my attention. Taking it out of my pocket, I saw I had a text from Alice. It was only then that another thought hit me. Vampires don't sleep. And Alice was probably very excited, and or nervous about the upcoming conversation. Which meant she was probably checking the future constantly to figure out how it would go. It also meant she probably knew I was already here.

 _'Are you ready for us?'_ Was all the text said. She _really_ must be impatient about this, for her to skip all the pleasantry of even asking if I was here. Or if I was even up yet. Though the last one could have been neglected simply because vampires probably have little understanding of how fucking great sleep is.

The butterflies in my stomach made an effort to send me running, but the pressure of the weight on my shoulders silenced them. _'Sure.'_ Was my simple response. Putting the phone back in my jacket pocket, I stood up and faced the direction I had come from before while pushing my second sight out as far as I could. Sunlight hitting the peaks of the mountains across the water drew my attention for a second, before a single silvery outline entered my range. It was walking slowly down the same path as I had come here. Followed by a smaller outline a few steps behind. They were both walking at a normal human's speed, so getting here would take about another minute. And while the fact that Rosalie was walking first was interesting, it was another minute of me fighting the urge to flee.

Taking my phone back out, I sent another text, as simple as the first. _'Faster.'_ Then it was back in my pocket. Barely a few seconds later I saw the smaller outline stop and take out an item that on the outside looked dead, but on the inside held electricity. The bigger outline stopped shortly after, and a few words seemed to be shared, before they sped up dramatically.

Not two seconds later, I could see Rosalie enter the clearing in front of Alice, keeping herself between us. A small facet of the creature that was Rosalie became clear to me in that moment.

''Huh. So you're the defender in the family.'' The words didn't even process in my mind before I blurted it out. I could immediately see the tension building in her stance, with her knees bending ever so slightly.

''What's that supposed to mean?'' Came Rosalie's brusque reply. Alice peeked over her shoulder with a sheepish smile. It made me think she knew how this conversation was going to start off. Some things are probably more set in stone than we would like to admit.

''I'm sorry. It was just an observation. With how you came at me first to check out the danger, to you trying to stop me from getting crushed by a car. And to you protecting Alice when meeting me in a secluded location.'' I hadn't even thought of how they would have taken the request to meet Alice alone in the early morning in a place like this. It didn't matter that a few of them seemed to like me, they still believed I was a danger to them. It wasn't my intention to assuage their fears by inviting Rosalie along, but it was a boon all the same.

''Again, I am sorry. My brain can't keep up with my mouth sometimes.'' I rubbed the back of my head in embarrassment, feeling the flush spreading across my face.

Rosalie neither moved, nor spoke for several seconds. Her eyes scanned my form, and I noticed her taking note of my shoes over near the water. Alice's hands had come to rest on the shoulders of her sister, while she peeked out behind her hair. And while that obscured most of her face, I could still _see_ that she was struggling to keep herself from laughing. I swear, that little imp is going to be the death of me some day.

''Could you help me out here Alice? You've already seen this play out, so stop dragging it out so much.'' I say while rolling my eyes at her when she finally burst out laughing. Even Rosalie felt the need to turn around to stare at her after the outburst. Alice completely ignored her sisters questioning eyes, looking ahead to me instead.

''But it's _so_ much more fun in person!'' Alice all but squeals out before laughing some more. Rosalie turns sideways on to me again, but I can still see her roll her eyes at her sisters antics.

''I've only known her for a week, and she's already driving me insane. How on earth do you cope with her around twenty-four seven?'' I mutter halfheartedly, not really expecting an answer.

''Lots and lots of full-body massages from Emmett.'' Rosalie stated it with absolutely no humor or inflection what-so-ever. Like it was just a simple fact of life. That was how you deal with being around Alice.

''Remind me to ask him to do that to me sometime.'' I respond, waiting for Alice to stop laughing. The sly smile that forms on Rosalie's face as she turns to me makes me rethink the last words I spoke.

''I'm not sure you could survive it hon. And even if you could, I'm not that keen on sharing.'' Rosalie replies with a sultry tone. Alice actually _falls over_ laughing at this point, wheezing and kicking on the ground. Even Rosalie seems to have been bitten by the atmosphere as her shoulders move in a silent chuckle.

''Ohh. _Ooooohhhhhh!_ '' The realization makes the blush come back with a vengeance, and it almost feels like my face is on fire. I'm barely able to keep from bursting my cloak as I bury my face in my hands.

Unbidden images of a sweaty and panting Emmett entwined with Rosalie came to the surface of my mind. In an attempt to put my minds to other thoughts I looked up to see Alice lying on her back, seemingly struggling to stop her laughter. My mind wasn't on my side however as I looked to Rosalie smirking at me. It decided to start undressing her with my eyes instead.

''Ohh god!'' There wasn't much more than shreds of defiance that stopped my cloak from bursting out then and there. In a desperate attempt to get back some control, I ran at full speed to the water, and dunked my head into the freezing depths.

My hands dug into the frozen bank as I almost tipped over myself from the momentum. The shock of the cold water biting into my scalp and face almost made me seize up. But it did the job. For a brief second there, it even seemed to disrupt my second sight.

I pulled my head up with a gasp, and whipped my now wet hair over my right shoulder and wrung as much water I could out of it. ''Fuck that's cold!'' I bark, wiping some water out of my face.

Alice was in the process of brushing the snow off of her clothes as I turned back around, while a bemused Rosalie had taken to sitting on the swing. ''So it seems you didn't invite us here to blatantly attack us. So why did you ask for this meeting?'' Rosalie's tone was guarded, even though it didn't feel hostile.

''You really like to make things difficult, don't you Alice?'' I responded, glaring at the little imp as she smiled sheepishly in return. She moved forwards and gently sat down on the other swing next to her sister without a word.

''Short version is that I'm at my wits end with how to proceed. I will explain more after I've gotten an answer from you Rosalie.'' I tilted my head in her direction, silently asking for her permission. She nodded and put her hand forwards for me to continue.

''I.. Why. Why didn't you attack me yesterday? You looked ready to rip my head off, yet you didn't...'' I knew I should not look a gift horse in the mouth, yet I felt this was something I needed to understand, in order to be able to trust them. Rosalie's gaze fell to the snowy ground as I spoke, telling me without words that she felt ashamed. That in itself was perhaps answer enough. It was an egotistical request to know her reasoning for her actions. If there even was any.

She had been on the defensive when entering this place, most likely expecting an attack as soon as they appeared. Yet she had not made gone for a preemptive strike, even when she seemed ready for one. Not even when my back was turned did they make a move.

The sound of Alice whistling drew me out of my intense line of thinking, greeting me with a genuine smile as our eyes met.

''I'm sorry. That was rude of me to even ask.'' It is my turn to turn my gaze to the ground. For several seconds not much is heard but my breathing, and the song of the birds welcoming the morning.

''No, it's okay. I can understand that you want to know.'' Rosalie's words come slowly at first, before they start to flow like water. ''Please understand that what we are... It's not an easy thing, being around humans.''

''Not only do they smell like food, but there's this _urge_... Like an instinct to prove that you're better than them. It's not so strong that you can't push it to the back of your mind usually, but if we smell blood, it becomes an incessant whisper. And that's not mentioning the burning in our throats that demands blood to subside.'' Alice had taken to swinging gently back and forth as Rosalie explained, but other than that she didn't show any indication as to what was on her mind.

''Your throat burns?'' I asked quietly, wondering if it was just a figure of speech, or an actual fire. It didn't really sound all that smart to go to a school full of humans, if a small cut was all that was needed to mess up your day.

''As our father described it once, it's like shoving a white hot poking iron down your throat. And all the while, every fiber of your being just wants to rip into anything with a beating heart close by.'' I noticed Alice smile dim ever-so-slightly at that last part.

''Sounds rough.'' I muttered, not really knowing how to even imagine what that would be like. Guess that was a pretty good reason to stay away from most people. I wonder if they had the same reaction to me? Shit, what about my period? It would be torture for them to be around me then. And what about when they had their periods? How would that work out?

''I guess that's all a roundabout way to start to explain why I would have attacked Tyler yesterday. When it comes to you, that's a different story.'' Rosalie continued after a few seconds of silence. ''The honest answer is. I don't know. If you can attribute these, 'instincts' we have as vampires to an inner persona, my best answer would be that it... Hesitated.'' Her golden eyes lifted to look into mine as she spoke the final word, and it left me confused.

Some part of me wanted to feel indignant, like I wasn't good enough to be food to her. Another was gloating that I somehow scared her enough to not want to mess with me. I didn't really know which to go for, so I opted for a cautious response.

''Why did it, you, hesitate?'' Alice stopped actively swinging, but didn't say a word. Rosalie looked off to the side and looked to be contemplating. It really wasn't the answer to the question I was looking for in the first place though. I think I almost wanted her to say she was able to control herself. Like there wasn't more than just chance that kept both of our secrets safe from the school.

Wanting another answer didn't make a difference though. I think her honest one was probably better. It's given me even more reason to trust her, and as an extension, her family. Not that there was much she could have answered that wouldn't end with me trusting them, honestly. Maybe other than straight out saying she wanted to kill me later, without any witnesses.

''It was like a feeling you gave off. Like an aura or something, it's hard to explain. That, and that even in the face of what I truly am, you didn't seem bothered by it. Like you could as easily just swat me away if I tried to attack you.'' Rosalie sounded worried at the implication. If that was what she was thinking before coming here, why did she take the risk?

''I was really scared, and I don't really understand why I didn't back off. I freaked the fuck out later in the cafeteria, if you hadn't heard.'' From the nod I knew she had, probably hard for Emmett to keep that quiet from his girl.

''So.'' Alice said simply, skidding to a stop on the swing, looking expectantly at me. Like she had been waiting for me to get to this point.

''What, imp?'' I snarked back at her, rolling my eyes. ''Thank you for answering my question Rosalie.'' I give the blonde a sincere smile, which she returns. Guess it was my time to shine then.

''So the reason I asked you both out here. I don't really know how much Alice has kept from you, so I'll start from the beginning.'' Damn I was nervous. The butterflies were back in force now that I stood in front of these two vampires, about to do what basically amounted to swearing fealty to their coven. I don't think it was possible for Alice to look more excited.

''First of all, I've only been whatever it is that I am, for less than two weeks.'' Rosalie sat up straight as I said this, looking surprised. ''I had an incident at my school in Phoenix. It started out with one obnoxious kid hitting on me. Then I unknowingly pushed his friend to the ground, which he didn't much care for. It ended in a showdown in the library, where I punched him so hard he ended up being hospitalized.'' They both seemed to be listening closely, but didn't voice a single question.

''All the while I seemed to be sleepwalking during the night, missing clothes when I woke up. I didn't put it together until last wednesday, the fact that I wasn't all human. As a result of my fight, I got kicked out. Well not really, I convinced them to let me transfer. So I came up here on thursday to live with my dad, and finish school here.'' It really felt like a lot of time had passed, with how much had happened so fast. I still can't believe it's not even been two weeks.

''So you really don't know what you are?'' Rosalie asked with a puzzled look. Alice seemed to perk up as she asked this which had me confused. I thought I had told her that already? Or maybe she didn't believe me then.

''I don't, no. As far as I can gather it's not hereditary. Neither my mother or my father has commented on the oddities that has been going on.'' They both seemed to think about it for a short second, before looking to each other. Trying to come up with possible reasons for why I am what I am wasn't really why I was here though, so I moved the conversation forward before they spoke up. ''There's this thing I can do, where I have a sort of... Second sight. Where I can see everything going on around me for a limited distance, in all directions. And it seems keyed into whatever it is that makes us different, as that was why I knew immediately that you weren't human. You _look_ different than other people.''

''That's how you saw me on friday!'' Alice exclaimed, whipping around to face me again. It took me a couple of seconds to think back, but then I remembered. At the diner was the first time I _saw_ a vampire, up in the tree.

''That was you, up in that tree near the diner?'' I questioned, which caused Alice to nod her head vigorously.

''Yes! You scared the shit out of me when you just turned around and stared up to me out of the blue!'' At this point Rosalie perks up, before voicing her thoughts.

''That's why you were so anxious? You got spotted when you were out spying on young girls?'' She teased her sister, bumping her with her elbow.

''I wasn't spying on anyone!'' Alice retorted, crossing her arms. The pout on her face was hilarious.

''So what were you doing out there then?'' I asked Alice, more for wanting to get some payback on the little imp than I was curious.

Umm... I was... Umm... Investigating. Yes, investigating. On what kind of... food, the Chief's daughter liked...'' It seemed like we'd caught her off-guard again, as she was really prolonging the words to get more time to think.

''So you were spying on her.'' Rosalie deadpanned. Alice practically folded in half before she muttered a muffled 'yes' through her legs. It was hard to resist the urge to laugh, but seeing her like that stopped me. Didn't need to kick her while she was down. Rosalie did smile to me though.

''It's okay Alice, I don't mind. Well I did then, as that was the first time I'd seen any other supernatural beings. Or... Sensing. I'm still not sure how to put it into words.'' I really made a muck out of trying to make her feel better.

''You said it's keyed into 'us'? Like in all supernatural beings? And how do you recognize them as different?'' Rosalie prodded, distracting me from the embarrassment I felt.

''Yeah, well I don't really know if it's _all_ supers. You're kind of the first ones I've met. There's this kid down at the rez that looked kinda off too, but not like you. How to explain it best... There's like this image, in my mind, that feels... orange. And living things are like, a brighter color than everything else. After that, there's plants and trees. And the wood in our house is even duller than that. And it goes down all the way to lifeless, which is just a dark void.'' Alice perked back up again as I was explaining it, as I was starting to emote with my hands in a moronic attempt at visualizing it. All the while Rosalie was keeping eye contact with me, absorbing the information.

''And then there's you guys. If normal people are bright like a small light bulb, you guys are like a small sun. At first it was painful to even be near you. Like you were burning my mental eyes or something. And you're like a silvery-neon color, instead of orange.''

''Why would it be painful?'' Rosalie muttered quietly, probably just thinking out loud. It was a question I hadn't actually thought about yet, so I indicated my curiosity to her with a tilt of my head. ''I was just thinking, if this is something you _are_ , as in didn't _become_ but was born like this. Why would it hurt if you were just 'awakening' your abilities. They should be part of you already. So maybe you weren't born like this. Are you sure nothing happened? No lost time, or painful experience prior to 'unlocking' any of this?'' Frankly I was a bit stumped by what Rosalie was saying. The way she was thinking almost seemed alien to me, yet it made sense.

I started thinking back to last monday, trying to find any oddities. But I didn't find any. I woke up like normal, I did my normal routine, and apart from being bothered by Justin, there was nothing. Only...

And like a flash, it felt like I was back in the classroom that day. In biology, feeling like I could just about murder someone. Where I had pushed Dustin out of his seat. And where I had somehow _felt_... the frog dying.

''There was this... moment. We had a biology class where we had to dissect frogs. And I was in this _rage_. Just, boiling over on the inside, wanting to gut my teacher instead of the frog. And I felt the heat of the frog disappear as it died.'' I whispered, feeling the hairs on my neck stand up. The image of the bird I had killed lying on the ground flashed in my mind, making me wince.

''Are you okay?'' Alice asked, her eyes scanning my form. It wasn't until she did that I realized my eyes were flaring up. I briefly wondered if I should have worn my shades for this, but disregarded the notion. They needed to see me as I am, and I needed to be honest with them if this was going to work.

Taking a deep breath, I forced my power to recede again, before looking to Alice. ''Yeah, I'm good. Just a bad memory.''

''And what would that be?'' Rosalie pursued, eyeing me suspiciously. I probably would have to tell them. Maybe even giving them a little show of what I know I can do would ease their suspicion.

''I will tell you, but first I want to explain why I said I'm at my wits end.'' I walked over to one of the support struts of the swing on Rosalie's side and leaned against it. She didn't move out of the way or anything, but I could tell she was getting tense from the proximity.

''I'm... just... going insane. I don't have anyone to talk to about this. Being... not human. I have no idea what's happening to me, or why. And it's changing me in ways that scares me. Sometimes it feels like I'm hearing voices. And it feels like I have several different people vying for control of what I do.'' It felt like the weight on my shoulders lessened, if only slightly, with each word I spoke. The relief made me slide down the post I was leaning against, ending up sitting in the snow.

''I don't know if trusting a bunch of vampires is a good idea. Hell, if you'd asked me that two weeks ago I would run for the hills. But now, I don't think I can do this alone. I think I would loose myself to whatever this is doing to me.'' I took a deep breath and exhaled shakily, closing my eyes. The weight all but vanished as I admitted how I really felt out loud. It was scary, to bare ones deepest fears to someone else. Yet I felt rewarded for it as I _saw_ Alice's expression turn to a sympathetic smile, before she looked to her sister.

Rosalie just continued to stare at me, but must have noticed her sisters look, as she nodded her head. With little wasted movement, Alice rose from the swing and walked over to me, sitting down in the snow next to me. I didn't bother opening my eyes as she snaked her arm around my side and pulled me gently into her. Leaning my head onto her shoulder, she rocked slowly back and forth.

''We won't let you loose yourself Bella. I promise.'' Alice whispered near my ear. I couldn't stop the tears that started to trickle down my chin, onto her cold shoulder.

We sat like that for several minutes, without any of us saying a word. Rosalie was staring out at the lake, where the rays of sun had started to disperse the mist that had been on it earlier. My tears had stopped quickly, but that didn't stop her jacket from feeling damp. Added with her own body temperature, and sitting in the snow for so long, I was actually starting to feel it.

With a gentle nudge to Alice, I started to untangle myself from her and stood up, brushing my clothes free of snow. Little could be done with what's already melted into my clothes. Stupid of me not to remember to bring a set of change in the car. Whatever.

Stretching my arms out, I tried to force the stiffness out of my muscles again. ''Thanks for that.'' I say over my shoulder. Walking over to my shoes near the water, I gaze out at the lake. The surface is as calm as it was yesterday, only now the sun is shining down on it. The mountain range and forest is reflected almost perfectly.

I glance out to the far end of the lake, where there are building and cars close to the edge of the water. There are people outside, milling about, doing their thing. The world doesn't wait for anyone. I can _see_ that I still hold their attention, and I speak with my back turned to them.

''I think I should show you what I can do. At least what I've figured out so far. Is that okay?'' They both rise from their respective positions, now looking curiously towards me. It is Alice who nods imperceptibly this time, before Rosalie answers.

''We've both seen your... power. The healing. How it increases your strength and speed drastically. Is there more to it we should know about?'' Her tone is merely curious instead of accusatory, and I gather I've earned a little bit of trust. It brings a small smile to my lips.

''Healing?'' Alice pipes up immediately, locking eyes with me. Rosalie just pokes her in the ribs for Alice to stay silent.

''I'll show you sometime. Anyway, there's the cloak that you've seen, and my second sight that I told you about. But the thing is, my power... it doesn't just come to me for free.'' With my blush hidden from their view, I start to undress, putting my clothes on top of my shoes with each layer that comes off. ''Some part of it's innate, but it feels like it works almost like a battery. It can go to zero, but I will go up to some set point after some rest. But when I'm low, I might not be able to control myself. I think that's what was happening when I was sleepwalking the first few nights.'' I was down to my underwear when I stopped taking off my clothes. We were all girls here, but if I could reduce my time being naked in front of them, I would.

''I found large patches of dead plants the mornings after. It's actually something I haven't been able to replicate since. But it increased the maximum amount of energy I can hold, I think. Now I just recharge my energy from draining it from plants.'' Unfastening my bra, I add it to the pile. Then I wrap my right arm over my breasts, and turn my right side towards them. Then I bend down and use my left hand to take off my panties and toss them into the pile as well.

Then I let my control go, feeling the rush down my spine as crimson energy bubbles to the surface and envelops my body. The range of my vision increases dramatically, and I even see a herd of deer grazing further north from us. My cloak now stands almost three centimeters thick from what I could guess. And it seemed more... condensed than before. It was more like a thick liquid than the fog-like state it had been the first time.

As I walked over to a tree near the edge of the water I figured out another mistake I had made. Just last night I had topped off the 'tank'. If I tried to drain any more now it would probably start hurting again.

'' **Okay, so there's a small problem**.'' The bass in my voice was something I didn't know if I'd ever get over, but it seemed like it was here to stay. Turning my head in their direction, I lock eyes with Rosalie. '' **I kind of recharged last night, so I'm at max capacity right now.** ''

''What happens if you try to drain more than you can store?'' Alice asked, standing up on her toes.

'' **Nothing good. It feels like I'm being torn apart at first, before it gets... vented. Alice, do you remember the broken tree where we met the other night?** '' From the way Rosalie's gaze snaps to her sister, I'd wager Alice didn't tell anyone about our nightly encounter. What's driving her to be so secretive towards her family?

''It's fine Rose, we can talk about it later.'' Alice rushes out, giving her sister a look that causes Rosalie to back off. Rosalie definitely trusts Alice's judgment, to back off so easily. But why doesn't Alice trust Rosalie enough to have told her? Given her ability to see the future, I'd guess it had some adverse consequences. But what could those possibly be, from just having a chance encounter in the forest?

''And do you mean the old one that was cut from it's trunk?'' She continues, to which I nod. This causes her to do a double take. ''But you've only been here for a week right? That break looked _old_.''

'' **That's because of the draining. It makes things desiccate, only it's not really even that. It's hard to explain...** '' I struggle to find the right words, when Rosalie speaks up.

''What do you mean; things?'' Her eyes are piercing as her demeanor goes tense again. I freeze as I realize the perceived attempt to hide it was making her edgy again. I turn towards them in exasperation, using my left hand to cover my modesty.

'' **I mean things, as in plants** _ **and**_ **animals. I was getting to that, as it has to do with the bad memory I was telling you about earlier.** '' Rosalie seems to relax again, so I continue. '' **So to confirm your suspicion, yes I can probably drain people. Possibly even vampires. Though in my defense, I have no intention of finding out, ever. The last time I created a circle of dead plants down in Phoenix, there was this bird. A cactus wren, that I had killed in a rage. It didn't even phase me until another one came looking for it.** '' I was getting kind of choked up, recalling the events. The vow I had made was more clear than the event itself, but that didn't change anything.

'' **That's one thing I will warn you of immediately. If you ever think I'm loosing it, get the hell away from me. That accident in Phoenix was the only one since this all started, so I don't know if that's how it's always going to be. Whatever I am, it is not benevolent.** '' The atmosphere became really tense, with both of them eyeing me like I had said something wrong. How was that not something sane for supernatural beings to admit? When dealing with _extremely_ deadly entities, be _extremely_ cautious when things go to shit. Isn't that just common sense?

'' **So what's the boilerplate waiver when it comes to dealing with vampires?** '' I joked. They shared a look before they shared a nervous laugh. '' **So if we can get back to my earlier point. Absorbing too much energy is bad.** '' I turned back around and walked over to the edge of the water. With my back now to them again, I regained use of my hands.

'' **The cloak around me is also... not good. It seems to break down or corrode anything it touches.** '' To prove my point, I dug my hand into the snow and found a rock, holding it in my open palm towards them. Slowly but surely it chipped and crumbled in my hand, without a speck of dust falling to the ground.

Putting my hand back down I _saw_ them talk in their incredibly fast and quiet manner, but I couldn't make it out. I would imagine it had something to do with their safety around me when I'm cloaked up. Perhaps what would happen if I touched them for a prolonged time. Do vampires heal? They're supposed to be immortal, but I can't recall if they were supposed to heal or if they would have to live with some... battle damage.

The water drew my attention again. It looked tempting to jump in with how the sun was shining down on it, but I knew better. I do wonder if it would feel cold now though, with the cloak on. And how _would_ the cloak react to water? It was ethereal in some ways, so does that mean I would be able to walk on top of the water? Would the cloak treat the water like any other surface? Probably not. It would still have to support my weight spread over the relatively small surface that was the feet of my cloak.

Not that it would stop me from testing it anyway. Standing with one leg on the bank, I gently placed the other one down to the surface of the water. An extremely loud hissing noise erupted as the cloak touched liquid, like the sound of the Leidenfrost effect, but louder. And I could immediately feel a drain on my energy. In fact, not long after I first placed my foot onto the surface, I noticed the herd of deer perking their heads up in our direction, before the range of my second sight fell so dramatically that I could no longer see them.

The bubbling of the water, and the steam it gave off surprised me less than the appearance of oily spots quickly racing across it's surface. And then the sound stopped, without me moving an inch. Only a second later did I realize that my cloak had shrunk down so much that it no longer touched the surface. I jumped backwards from the water in surprise, which started the two behind me.

''Huh. That's new.'' I uttered, still in a daze. I had touched the surface for maybe five seconds, and my cloak was down to about a centimeter outside my skin. That is one scary weakness I now had to consider, and the vampires behind me had witnessed it.

''What happened? Are you okay?!'' Alice asked, rushing to my side. She looked me over for any injuries before she apparently seemed to recall my state of undress, and her eyes locked onto my face instead. I had enough mental faculties left to cover my body before I turned around so I could see them both.

''I guess we now know of one of my weaknesses.'' I said, directed to Rosalie. She promptly closed her mouth which had been open in shock or surprise.

''It would seem so...'' She trailed off, seemingly unsure of what to say.

Selecting one of the smaller trees for the purpose of a demonstration of the worst case scenario. The poor Douglas fir was only about two meters tall, and from what I could see, I would probably drain it dry with ease. Walking over to it, I noted that the vampires in the clearing remained still.

''This is what happens when I recharge my energy.'' I said into the forest, putting my hand to the tiny trunk. I felt a little conflicted, knowing I would sort of kill the tree in the process, but I felt like I needed to give them a demonstration. If only to hammer the point home.

Like a small vortex in my palm, I _saw_ the energy being sucked away from the extremities of the tree. The familiar sense of warmth spread through me as my cloak flared and grew with each second. Needles started raining down around me, as the upper parts of the tree shrunk into itself when the energy were drained completely from its branches. More and more fell to the snowy ground as I gripped around the trunk completely, sucking it out faster and faster, until it was all gone.

With the simple twist of my hand, the trunk snapped, and I held the top part of the tree in front of me. Tossing it towards the ground in front of the vampires, it's branches snapped and fragmented like glass in the snow.

My cloak wasn't even at the level it had been when I had first flared it up earlier, but I felt like the demonstration was enough. With haste, I walked over to my clothes and forced the cloak to recede. Then I quickly dressed up again. Putting my shoes back on felt awesome, as the dull coldness was replaced by comforting heat.

Rosalie had taken to inspecting the pieces of shattered wood on the ground, while Alice only stared at it with a look of contemplation.

''You weren't kidding when you said you were dangerous.'' Rosalie remarked, picking up a piece of the trunk, crumbling it in her hands. ''And you're saying you can do this to us?'' The tone she held turned sharp, giving me the indication she wasn't after a comforting answer.

''I honestly believe so, yes. But I have no wish to test that theory.'' I replied solemnly. The two vampires shared another wordless glance.

''We would have to confer with the rest of our family about this. We must make a decision as a family, before making any promises.'' Rosalie spoke warily, but I had no qualms about that. If the roles were reversed, I would do the same.

''That's completely understandable. You know how to get in touch with me when you decide.'' She looked relieved, with her standing back up before heading in the direction they had come from. Alice didn't follow along however, which made Rosalie stop and turn back around at the edge of the clearing.

Instead Alice walked up to me and grabbed me in a hug. For such a small frame, the girl was really strong, as I felt my ribs cry out in discomfort. The feeling of her short spiky hair on my neck contrasted the surge of fear that she might bite. But she didn't. After the initial surprise had faded, I hugged her back, adding a little of my own strength. She giggled at the pressure, before disentangling again, staring into my eyes while holding her hands at my sides.

''Don't worry Bella. I won't let them do anything less than accept you.'' The way she said it made me believe her implicitly. And finally the butterflies in my stomach was all gone.

Then, with nothing more than a wave, they left the clearing.

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 **AN: So that was another chapter done. As always, I hope you enjoyed it. And if there is anything off, please let me know!**


	13. Rising Tension

**AN: So I just put down the major plotlines I have in mind for this to digital paper, and I feel kinda scared. With how the story is going, we're barely past the first fifteen or so percent. And this is already over 80k words now. That both blows my mind, and terrifies me. From my guesstimation, this whole thing will take several years if I keep the current pace. That does not mean I intend to increase the pace or anything. I'm actually starting to feel a sense of pride with how this story is going, which I hope to use to fuel my writing process. To keep it consistent as we progress.**

 **I just hope you continue to enjoy it, and that you don't grow bored of it before it's reached its end.**

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 **Deadly Affection – Reimagined**

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of it's characters. I just play around with them.

 **Chapter 13: Rising Tension**

 **Bella PoV**

As I parked in front of the house I felt conflicted. My body was almost shaking with anticipation of when I would hear back from the Cullen's. But my mind was begging for some sleep. I barely got a couple of hours in last night and with the ordeal that was the meeting over, I was ready to pass out.

But that didn't mean that the world would ever let me off easily.

Charlie was up, sitting in his favorite chair and watching the television. He had still been asleep when I had left the house earlier, and I hadn't left a note for him. My mind stumbled through different scenarios of how he would react, most of which ended in him going full cop mode.

He perked up as I shut the door to the truck with a bang, though how he could have not noticed the sound of the engine roaring down the street I do not know. He didn't move however. His gaze just stayed on the door. At least he wasn't all fire and brimstone, rushing to get in my face about why I was gone. That scenario could be checked off.

With a sigh I unlocked the front door and entered the house, trying to act casual. With his line of work, trying to make it _seem_ like I'm skulking around behind his back did not feel clever. Then again, if I did, would that ease some fear about me doing stuff behind his back that he _didn't_ know about? Would that sort of circular logic make sense to a cop? The devil you know, and all that.

I put my jacket up and take off my shoes before turning to Charlie. His eyes caught mine as soon as I turned around, and I try to smile innocently to him.

''Morning dad.'' I say while walking over to the couch, joining him in watching the tv. I really want to sleep, but at this point I have to do some damage control. Checking the clock on the wall, I saw that it was just past ten in the morning.

''Morning Bella.'' Charlie answered tersely, watching me like a hawk. I keep my eyes glued to the news playing on the television. I manage to pretend I can't see him for almost ten seconds, before I give up and turn my head towards him, trying to seem clueless.

''You want to tell me where you were Bella?'' This time his tone is harder. Definately cop mode. I wonder what he must be thinking. I haven't woken up before him in the week I've been here, and I must be looking like a wreck right about now. I can practically feel the bags under my eyes.

''I was out, meeting a couple of friends.'' I answer truthfully, even though the last part was still up for debate to some. I have faith in Alice though.

''And who was it, that you needed to meet so early in the morning?'' I can hear plain as day that he was in no mood for games. He was seriously worried that I might be up to something nefarious. Which I guess I kind of was, having a secret rendevous with vampires.

''Rosalie and Alice Cullen. I had a bit of a falling out with them in school yesterday, and it was keeping me awake all night. I went to clear the air with them as soon as they answered the phone.'' So it was partially true in any case. I just hope he doesn't ask too many questions about it.

''That why you were asking about them yesterday?'' For a brief second I was stumped, not really understanding what he meant, before recalling dinner the day before. I hadn't even thought of that, but it helped my case.

''Yes. Rosalie reacted... poorly after I pulled her away from the car crash, and harsh words were spoken.'' I tell him, another half-truth. How many of these would I have to make going forwards? The bitter feeling in the back of my mind ocupied me for a few seconds, before I thought to amend the previous statement. ''She really does have her heart in the right place. She just has a hard time showing it sometimes.''

''Huh.'' Charlie uttered, before leaning back into the couch. ''And why was Alice there?'' His nose scrunched up like he was trying to imagine something. Or having a hard time believing.

''She's kind of decided that we're going to be best friends.'' I explain plainly, and leave it at that. He pushes his upper lip up, making his thick mustache tickle his nose. Something he seems to enjoy, as he doesn't stop doing it while thinking through my story.

''Well next time, would you please leave a note on the fridge or something? Just so I wouldn't have to worry.'' His gruff voice, and the sincerety it holds, make me feel even more guilty for lying.

''Sure thing dad. I'm sorry for making you worry.'' I replied timidly. I almost added that it wouldn't happen again, but I already know that would be a lie. And I didn't want to add another one to the list, at least for today.

''Good.'' The word is followed by silence, as we both turn our gaze to the screen.

Something between us has shifted. I can't put my finger on it. Perhaps he somehow knows I wasn't fully honest? The thought gnaws at me for a full minute, before the incessant urge to yawn disturbs the silence between us.

''I think I better take a nap. I really didn't get much sleep.'' I excuse myself as I stand up and head for the stairs.

''Hey Bells?'' Charlie pipes up just as I'm about to ascend. I stop and look at him through bleary eyes, waiting wordlessly for him to continue. ''We were invited to dinner at Billy's place later. Would you like to join, or do you have other plans?''

''Yeah that sound like a-'' I quickly put the back of my hand in front of my mouth to hide the second yawn in a short while. ''-Like a great idea. Just let me get some z's first, okay?'' I say while trying to wipe tears out of my eyes.

''Sure thing. Sleep well kiddo.'' Charlie says with a genuine smile, and I continue to head back upstairs. The idea of going back down to the rez was sort of strange. I hadn't been down there for many years. I wonder what's changed.

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As soon as I wake up, I check my phone to see if I've gotten any messages. Sadly there's none yet, but I notice it's only been about three hours since I went to sleep. They could still be debating what to do. And I still have faith in Alice. I doubt there is much the little imp wouldn't be able to do, if she ever put her mind to it.

I notice that Charlie is still downstairs on the couch as I dress in my comfy grey sweats. My stomach growls at me as I go into the bathroom to brush out my serious case of bed-hair. I feel like I slept like a baby, but my hair looked like I've been in a tornado.

Charlie perks up as soon as he hears me trotting down the stairs. ''Good afternoon sleepyhead.'' He teases as I reach the bottom. I just smile at him, before turning to go to the kitchen. My stomach was just about killing me, and some leftovers sounded perfect about now.

''I'm going to heat up some food, you want any?'' I ask out loud as I open the fridge. I can see that he has clearly already had some already, so it was a pretty safe bet that I could hog the rest.

''Nah, I'm full. Besides, we're going down to Billy's in just a few-... Hang on.'' Charlie's cut off as his phone starts ringing. I'm content with the answer I got though, so I dig in.

I hear Charlie talking in the other room, but I pay it no mind as I stuff my face with copious amounts of food. It tasted absolutely heavenly even though it was just reheated, but I put that down to my abnormal hunger. It seems like I get hungrier depending on how much energy I consume. Or how much energy I expend. Whichever it was, whenever I had been low, and had to charge back up, my appetite would spike soon after.

Charlie stands up as I'm thinking this, and pockets his phone before making his way to the kitchen. I discreetly try to hide just how much food I have stacked on my plate before he enters by leaning over it. Which seemingly did fuck-all as he eyed it suspiciously, before speaking.

''I've got to go out for a bit. The deputy wants me to come check on some strange sightings up north.'' He said with a sigh. I sucked in a string of pasta that had been hanging down my chin before responding.

''What? I thought you had the weekend off?'' Not that it was in fact that which was bothering me. It was more the wording of 'strange sightings' which set my alarm bells ringing. With how tumultuous the last week had been, I did not need my dad to get into trouble with any supers. Or that was just the paranoid part of my brain going haywire. Strange could mean a lot of things, right?

''I know, but Steve asked if I could just come take a look. I won't be long.'' Charlie gives his crooked smile, before he starts to turn around.

''What kind of sightings did he mention?'' I pipe up, probably sounding all too panicked for him not to notice. And he does look at me oddly for a couple of seconds before replying again.

''A couple of fishermen reported a lot of dead fish with strange scars floating on the lake. They're concerned it might be someone dumping toxic waste or something.'' His voice was unsure, and he seemed to observe my reaction as he continued. ''Why?''

I tried my best to remain casual, having managed to calm down a bit now, but I doubt I could fool him right now. ''It's just... You mentioned there were animals around these parts. Stay safe, okay?'' Somehow I recalled that piece of information just as I started talking. And it seemed to work, as he blushed and turned into a big smile.

''Always am, Bells. Be ready around five. I'll call if I get delayed.'' And with that Charlie turned and left in the cruiser. As he drove down the street and out of my range, I held my hand out in front of me and noticed it shaking like a leaf.

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The sun was close to setting as I gazed out into the ocean. The sound of the waves hitting the shore repeatedly had lulled me into an almost comatose state, before Jake spoke up and ruined the moment.

''So how was your first week? Get in any trouble yet?'' He asked, taking a sip from his can of coke. He was sitting across from me on a bench overlooking the beach close to his house. The wind did not do him favors with his long hair, having to get it out of his face frequently.

''Well yes and no. Mostly yes. I had to ditch half the first day as I got sick. And I nearly got crushed by a car yesterday.'' I said all haughtily, fluffing my hair like it was just a normal week for me. He choked on his drink, with some of it spilling out from his nose. That was never pleasant.

''What?!'' He croaked out after using his sweater to wipe his face clean. ''Are- Are you serious?'' As he leaned forwards, I put my hand out and ruffled his black hair.

''Yes, but it wasn't serious. I wasn't even really in the way of the car. It did slam into the truck though, and damn that thing's a tank.'' Remembering the sight of Tyler's truck folding around the old monster made me chuckle. Other than trading some paint and a bent mirror, it still worked okay.

I saw him start to formulate his words in his mind as if there was a billboard on his forehead or something. ''This kid in my class lost control and skidded sideways on the ice. He was the only one that actually got hurt.'' And that was a relief too, not having the parking lot become a fucking horror show.

''Managed to skid on the ice. In a parking lot. How fast was the twerp going?'' He said mockingly. ''He wasn't seriously hurt though, right?'' Jake's tone came out softer, as he shifted his gaze out towards the ocean. One of the things I like the most about him is that big heart of his. Like me, he's loathed to see anyone get hurt. The cynical part of my brain wondered if it was because he was in so much pain after his mother... Even thinking that makes me hate myself.

''What's with the face?'' His voice surprises me somewhat, as I notice he was staring at me. ''Was he seriously hurt?'' I'm actually relieved he misinterpreted it, as I gather my thoughts.

''No, just a few bumps and bruises. Maybe some stitches. Nothing that won't heal.'' As I said that, I wondered how far that last part would relate to my... situation.

''Good.'' Jake lets out in a sigh, as his gaze wanders again. My memory seems to have been correct, as I spend some time... inspecting, Jake's form with my vision. It is indeed brighter than that of Charlie and Billy. More yellow to their almost orange.

It gives me a weird feeling. Like it's both alien and familiar at the same time. As I gaze deeper, leaning over the table slightly, I try to look into him. And there, in his chest, I can see a little... seed. A tiny blue dot, near his heart. Just looking at it makes the tips of my fingers tingle. I want to touch it.

I meet some resistance as I try to put my hand forwards. The sound of wood cracking as I push through the offending matter. It's so close. Just a little more...

''What-...'' Jake starts to say, pulling back slightly, before a loud wolf howl draws our attention. He tries to get up, but stumbles backwards over the bench in the rush. My own fight of flight response triggers, going more into the fighting part of that equation.

I find that my powers are already active for the most part, my body bristling with energy, on the verge of going into my cloak. The range increase lets me see the offending wolf, and it makes me stagger. It's the size of a freaking horse! And it's not _orange_. It's an icy blue color. Within seconds, another one flanked it.

There is no way I could take that thing on. Not without going full cloak and ruining everything.

With my increased view-range I also noticed that several people were getting up and looking outside their windows. Some were getting dressed and even going outside. Charlie and Billy were among those few.

A third, slightly larger wolf joined the first two. And they were all staring straight at me. I couldn't fuck everything up now. Alice said it would be okay. I would just have to trust that cooler heads would prevail.

Forcing my powers to recede, I put my hands up in their direction ever so slightly, before lowering them again. I hope they would catch my drift. The sound of voices reached me, as inhabitants of the buildings around us asked if anyone had seen anything.

I ignored them as I looked upon the splintered wood in front of me. Half of the wooden board had cracked upwards, and the sharp edges were pointing everywhere. Making sure as few people as possible were looking in my direction, I started to break the pieces off. Just as Charlie came out the door with Billy in front of him, I was done. The break still looked fresh, but there was little I could do about that.

''Isabella!?'' I heard Charlie bark out while Billy yelled for Jake. The exit to their house was on the opposite side of the bench we were seated at. It felt like a punch to the gut, hearing my dad sound scared.

I got up and around the bench, holding out a hand to help Jake up, that he didn't take. He used the bench to get up, and was staring at me with fear in his eyes. And that was when I realized that I didn't have my shades on. He had seen my eyes.

''I will tell you about it later, but right now we need to move!'' I said in a hushed whisper, as I grabbed him by the arm and pulled him with me. For whatever reason, the wolves had yet to make an appearance. And if this came to a head, there would be trouble. So I needed a shield.

It made me loathe myself to think of my dad that way, but right now I didn't have time to waste. Pulling Jake after me like he was a rag-doll, we made it around the house before they had cleared the ramp.

''We're here dad.'' I announced as he came into view. It was a relief to see the panicked eyes of his close as he huffed out the air he had been holding in. But it wasn't to last. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, an adult male came striding out of the forest, clad in only shorts. Whatever dad said fell on deaf ears, as I turned around and focused all of my attention to the newcomer. His short cropped black hair and average build wasn't what drew my attention. It was the fact that his _energy_ was the same icy blue as the wolves earlier.

The leap of thinking they could in fact be the same being wasn't that hard for me to grasp, with everything I had seen so far. So there were supers on the rez, as well as in Forks. Great. We should start a club or something.

''Sam.'' Billy announced with a bark. Like a question, almost.

Billy knew what he was. Who _they_ were. Guardians?

''Friend of yours?'' Charlie asked Billy tersely. No response. Billy was awaiting the newcomers answer.

Charlie looked incredulously from Billy, to the short-clad man, to me, then back to Billy. Then he stepped around Billy's wheelchair and walked over to me. He stood with his head looking over my shoulder, staring at the newcomer with a dangerous look on his face.

''They need to leave.'' This so-called Sam spoke, presumably to Billy, yet his eyes were locked with mine. ''It's not _safe_.'' The way he said it made my skin crawl. That did not sound like the friendly guardian I had quickly imagined they would be.

''Jake, take Sam inside. I'm sure he would like something hot to drink.'' Billy commanded, not even acknowledging the fact that Charlie had moved. His hands were tense, gripping his wheels.

Jacob on the other hand, was looking torn. He had stepped away from me as I let him go when I turned around, but he hadn't stepped any closer to Sam. In fact, it looked like he was almost as uncomfortable with him, as he was with me at this moment. His eyes went back and forth between us, before he walked up to the wall and shimmied along it, putting Charlie in between the two of us.

As he got to the ramp beside Billy, he turned around and motioned for Sam to follow him, yet there was no motion from the stoic man.

''Go!'' Billy barked, and finally he wavered. Sam kept his eyes on me as he walked into the house behind Jacob. Neither did Charlie yield as he continued to stare daggers at him all the way.

''What the hell, Billy?!'' Charlie asked through clenched teeth. It was clear that he was furious, and while part of me was reveling in his standing on my side, another feared for what this meant for their relationship.

Jake had told me that they only really started talking again after I had asked for sanctuary here. Charlie had apparently used the attempt to get me a car as a springboard to get back to being actual friends, and it seemed to have worked. But it was still fresh. I didn't want to be the cause for them to loose that friendship again.

Billy put his hands up in a placating manner, as he forced a smile to his lips. ''Let me talk to the kid first, see what's gotten into him. For now, I think it's best that you go home.'' Charlie seemed to be set off at this, as he moved to step in Billy's direction. I grabbed dads hand before he got far, and his face softened as he turned to me.

''Please dad. Let's just go.'' I muttered, looking to the ground. His fists clenched and opened as he considered his options, looking between the two of us.

''Just trust me, this once, old friend.'' Billy managed to say. The fucking gall of that old man. Lie to my dad and try to manipulate him like that? The proverbial moral bar for me to not punch a cripple was lowered considerably.

But I managed to stay calm. There would still be at least two wolves out in these woods, and they were probably watching us like hawks right now. I gently tugged on Charlie's hand in a silent plea to ignore the slight.

''There better be a damn good explanation for this!'' Dad barked through gritted teeth, before turning on a dime and stalked back around the house to the car. I had to almost jog to keep pace with him. On the way I put on my shades, determined to be fully prepared in case they decided to attack. I let my powers flow through me as I closed my eyes and used my second sight to guide me into the car, being careful not to break the door handle with my increased strength.

Sure enough, standing just beyond the treeline were two giant wolves. Their heads tracked us as Charlie sped up the road in a rage, throwing up a cloud of dust behind us. Soon they were out of my range, as we were speeding out of there.

''Dad...'' I muttered quietly, not wanting to draw his ire. I noticed we had finally hit some tarmac as the tires squealed in protest to Charlie slamming the brakes. I flinched as he slammed his hands on the steering wheel in frustration. I had never seen Charlie so mad before.

''Do you know what's going on?'' Dad asked with a huff, his eyes starting to shine. I had no idea how to respond. I couldn't look at him, though that wasn't a problem as he kept his eyes fixed to the road ahead. But I also didn't know what I could tell him. Or tell him that I could not tell him. My control came really close to snapping, as I grew frustrated.

Then a huge, icy blue, figure reappeared behind us on the road. It was so close that I think even dad could have spotted it if he looked in the mirror. Just a single one. I could take one...

''Please Bells...'' Dad muttered, sounding like he was breaking inside. Hearing that halted my hand that had moved to open the door. The first tear that I saw trickling down his chin wanted me to scream in anger. For that asshole down there to make my dad cry...

The idea of going back there and giving Billy a good what-for flashed through my mind. But I knew it wouldn't help Charlie any. I put my hand on dads shoulder gently, and shook him so that he would turn to me.

With the pace everything was going, I don't really know what the hell was going to come next. But Charlie was near the edge like I had feared, and if none of his other friends could help him, I would.

''I'll tell you everything. But first we really need to get home.'' He searched for my eyes through the shades, but found none. Part of me wanted to show him now. But that could cause more damage than good with the state he was currently in. ''Do you want me to drive?'' I asked gently, and after a few seconds he nodded.

We switched places, and after adjusting the mirrors and seat, we were off. Charlie was looking out the window while the light faded into darkness. As we reached the main road I really hit the accelerator, but try as I might, our stalker managed to keep up pace. These fucking wolves were fast. Duly noted.

I gave up trying to outrun it with the car, so I slowed down to keep the speed limit after a short while. Wouldn't be good to be seen speeding in a police cruiser with the chief sitting next to me. Too many nosy people in this small town for that not to get picked up on. Thankfully there weren't many cars on the road, and before long we were home.

As we make it inside, I hurry into the kitchen to put on some coffee. It seemed like Charlie would need some, and I probably could too. He sat down without a word, and was just playing with his usual cup. With my second sight I can see that the wolf has posted himself in the forest outside the kitchen window, and I glare in his direction. That seems to surprise him, but he doesn't move from the spot.

The thought crossed my mind that telling Charlie about everything could just as well ruin everything for me. That had a spike of fear shooting through my spine. But seeing him so down steeled my resolve. I would prove to him that I was on his side before revealing what I am. And he's my dad, right? That had to count for something. Right?

An idea popped into my head just then, before I picked up my phone and started texting Alice. She could see the future, so she would know how this turned out. I hope. Text sent, I place it back in my pocket and force the power in me to recede, before taking my shades off.

The coffee machine pinged in completion, and I moved to pour it into each of our cups. Placing it back, I walk over and sit down across from Charlie. The warmth in his fingers seem to alert him to the world again, as he perks up a little.

''Shit.'' He mutters, sitting up straight and clearing his throat. Great, the mask was up again. That could be problematic. ''Sorry you had to see me like that Bells. I don't know what came over me.'' Hearing him say that made me mad. Brushing off what happened like it was nothing wasn't how to fix the problem. It would just make it worse.

But it could possibly give me an out. To not tell him what I am. ''Don't say that dad. You had every right to be mad at Billy for blowing you off like that.'' As I spoke, I noticed him wince ever so slightly, revealing a chink in the facade. Hopefully he understood that I meant the latter part of what happened as well, without my saying it. Poking that hornets nest wouldn't be any good now that his mask was back up.

''I just hope he has a good explanation...'' He says with a sigh, taking a sip of the hot beverage in his hands. ''Did you know that boy, Bella?'' The shift in focus comes with a shift in his demeanor. He was back in cop mode, trying to understand what went down.

''No. I have never seen him before.'' I replied honestly. Right now I couldn't risk him perceiving me as anything less than honest.

''But you know what went down?'' The accusation was thinly veiled in a question, but I guess that's what I get from saying I would tell him everything. Couldn't trust that he would forget that part I guess.

''Somewhat, yes. It's... complicated.'' I start, trying to figure out how to explain this without nuking everything he knew about the world. Or think he knows.

''Well uncomplicate it then.'' He says in a more patient tone, nursing the cup in his hands. His eyes are still fixed on mine, scrutinizing my every move. The intensity is somewhat scary, but I push through it, doing my best to keep calm.

''Ehh... Okay... Soo...'' How the hell do I start explaining it. ''There's a kind of... Politics going on, here in Forks. A kind that very few even know exist.'' I start, pulling my brain to pieces trying to underhandedly explain everything without actually alerting him to the fact that supernatural beings exist.

''… What?'' Charlie deadpans, without a trace of humor to it.

''I know. I told you, it's complicated. I didn't even know there were people tuned into it down at the rez...'' My mouth just keeps going on it's own. To my surprise, he seems to start believing me.

''And why would you be involved in this... Secret politicking?'' Charlie's eyes narrow.

''Because of the car-crash yesterday.'' I bite back the shame of lying to him again. Up until now it wasn't actually a lie. But if I told him I was involved in it because of something down in Phoenix, he would just have more questions I couldn't answer.

''What?'' He huffs out incredulously, taking one hand off of his cup and placing it on his thigh. He's clearly getting agitated, so I had to throw him another curve-ball. I just hope they don't hate me for somewhat outing them.

''The Cullen's are also involved in it. That's how I was pulled into it, because I got Rosalie out of the way.'' Again, the shame of another lie hit me, but I ignore it. I would deal with it later.

Charlie seems to mull it over for a few seconds, looking into his coffee-cup as if it held the answers. ''And why the hell would the fact that you saved Rosalie mean that they had to drag you into this shady business?'' He asked in a hostile tone. Crap. My lie backfired.

''That's where it gets complicated. And I was expressly told I should not reveal that piece of information.'' I had to divert his anger away from the Cullen's somehow, and the best way to do that was to point it at myself. I just hope he would forgive me for that.

''And why is that?!'' He barked, shaking with anger so fierce it made him spill some of his coffee on his hand. It made him wince and shake it, before getting a cloth to clean it up.

''For everyone's safety! I hate to have to use the same excuse as that asshole earlier, but you're going to have to trust me here, dad!'' I tell him, adding a sense of urgency as I get up and grab a hold of his shoulders. His eyes meet mine in defiance before I continue. ''Me even telling you this is... Look, I can't tell you why this secret group exists but trust me when I say that it's for the better!'' I shake him using some of my newfound strength, to get the severity of the situation across. ''And if I ever get the slightest inkling that what's going on is putting people at risk of being hurt, I will come to you! Damn the consequences, I will tell you everything! I swear it!''

Charlie seems put off at the intensity of my proclamation. His anger even seems to die down just a little. Slowly, I lower my hands back down to my sides, but I hold his gaze.

''Please dad.'' I murmur softly, intentionally showing some vulnerability to trigger his guardian instincts. A pang of loathing more intense than the previous ones throbs in my chest as I realize just how much of a manipulative cunt I was being.

Charlie reacts as I intended, pulling me into a hug. One that makes me feel hollow for how wrong it is. The pain in my chest travels down my left arm and pools in my palm. Then the pain gets even more intense, and a warm liquid starts to make it's way down towards my fingers. I instinctually form a fist to stop it from dripping to the floor, as I hear Charlie start to speak near my ear.

''And here I thought I had a handle on things in this town, being the chief of police...'' His voice is filled with resignation, and I make no move to answer him. The pain in my hand does fade though, and soon enough there isn't a trace of it left.

Charlie lets me go again, spending a second to look at me, before moving to sit back down. I don't join him immediately, instead going over to the counter and using my right hand, I take out a cup. Then I turn the sink on, letting the water get cold as I open my left fist, hidden from Charlie. Sure enough, there is blood there. It's crusty already, and I quickly use the water to rinse it off. There is no wound. I would have to figure this one out later.

''So Carlisle is involved in this whole... Spiel?'' Dad moves his finger in a circle as I sit back down with my glass of water. Another man he felt he was somewhat friendly with that was keeping secrets from him. No wonder he pointed Carlisle out.

''Yes. But please don't be mad at them. The Cullen's are helping me to understand everything this entails.'' I plead with him, and he just sighs in return, the wind in his sails completely gone.

''But they didn't tell you anything about Billy and this... Sam?'' To be fair they hadn't even actually agreed to help me yet. But for the sake of Charlie's peace of mind, I could stand one more white lie.

''Well to be fair, there wasn't much time for the introductory course in secret politics one-oh-one during our meeting this morning.'' I joke back, and he just huffs in response. ''That said, we're going to have company soon.'' I say as I draw my gaze outside, and even without flaring any of my power, I can see the huge dark shadow of the wolf in the treeline.

Charlie perks up at that, and I put my hands up in a placating manner and continue. ''Billy will probably be here soon. Sam will probably join him. They can't reveal much to you, so they will probably frame it like they want to apologize for their behavior.'' It had been brewing in the back of my mind as we had talked. The wolf wouldn't just be standing out here watching us without a reason.

As they had not attacked the minute they had realized I wasn't human, I would hazard a guess that they did not know what I was either. And besides, they hadn't made any noise until I had shown my supernatural abilities. It was from that I had guessed that they were guardians.

A chill went down my spine as I remembered the feeling of that strange seed in Jake's chest. What had I intended to do? I didn't even know myself, but with my powers activated, it would be nothing good.

Charlie noticed me shiver and cocked his head to the side. ''What?'' An air of anticipation to his voice.

''You're going to have to try to react as if you don't know anything about what's going on. Accept whatever apology Billy comes up with. Fake it if you have to. Sam will want to speak to me. Outside I would wager, so that you would not hear anything you aren't supposed to know.'' Dad grumbles into the remains of his coffee, but doesn't reject the idea.

I only hope the wolf isn't able to hear everything we're saying.

''What about when I speak with Carlisle?'' Charlie asks after he finishes his cup.

''I'll tell them what I've told you. I don't believe they will have any objections to it.'' Oh fuck, what were they going to think? Crap.

The buzz of the doorbell draws our attention and we both turn our heads in the direction of the noise.

''That was actually sooner than I expected.'' I muttered, looking out to the trees. The huge shadow is gone. They would probably speak to me in force. Intimidating an unknown threat. The move made strategical sense.

''Better not keep our guests waiting.'' Charlie huffs darkly as he gets up, and I follow suit as we walk to the door. As I expected, I see the outline of Billy in his wheelchair and the icy-blue form of Sam standing outside the door with my second sight.

Charlie swings the door open, and we start a staring contest. Charlie is glaring at Billy. Sam is glaring at me. I'm just anxious to get the ball rolling. I clear my throat, looking to Billy for him to speak. It was the assholes time to grovel.

''Charlie. Bella.'' He starts off, taking in the fact that we're still dressed in the clothes that we left in. I notice Sam has actually donned a t-shirt. Did the wolves not feel the cold or something?

''Billy.'' Charlie growls through gritted teeth, not even acknowledging the other man standing on our porch.

''We decided to come over to apologize for our behavior earlier. Could we come in?'' There isn't a change in beat from the old cripple. How fucking impudent could one be? I was starting to feel hatred for the old man grow within me.

Charlie nodded and stood aside, as Sam decided to speak up. ''Actually, I was wondering if I could speak with Bella outside?'' His voice was deep and held an air of authority to it. Charlie glanced over to me, and I just nodded slightly, indicating it was okay. Then I followed the man outside, while Billy and Charlie went inside.

He led me beside the house, almost to the trees before he stopped and turned around to me. Crossing his arms, he stood before me, trying to be intimidating. If only he knew how stupid he looked to me.

In response, I flared my eyes and let the power ripple underneath my skin, going as far as I could without using my cloak. Immediately I could see the two other wolves from before just behind him, but I had expected that. Sam seemed to be put off by my eyes as I glared at him, his hands dropping to his sides.

''What are you?!'' He barked gruffly, his body seeming to shake in place. ''You have a heartbeat, yet only smell faintly of leech. And you have the eyes of one!'' The statement coming from him makes me laugh. The ignorance of it actually enlightening me just how inexperienced he was. My eyes weren't like that of a vampire, as Rosalie had informed me in our first encounter. Same color as a vampire drinking of humans if Alice was speaking the truth, but different shapes.

He was clearly annoyed with my laughing as he stepped towards me, attempting to intimidate. ''You are right, I am not a vampire.'' I teased him, earning a snarl from one of the wolves behind him. ''I'll throw you a bone here, as a courtesy. I don't know what I am.'' The one who snarled earlier lowers to the ground and seems to prepare to charge, before Sam puts a hand up.

''Stand down Paul.'' He commands, seeming to know what was going on behind him without looking. Could he see the same way I did? That could be problematic. Or would it. If they could see like I did, they would have known I wasn't human earlier in the day, when we first arrived. The more likely reason then would be acute hearing, which also didn't bode well for me. And that Paul guy having a temper issue.

''Jared told me you tried to attack Jake.'' The accusation of wrongdoing. Well it probably wasn't wrong. But I couldn't let them know that. They had come up here in force to see if I was a threat. If I proved to be one, they would not leave without eliminating it. Me.

So I let my eyes slip down to the ground, so they could see my shame at what I had almost done. ''Jake is an old friend. I would never intentionally hurt him.'' And that is true for most people. Animals even. Well everyone, apart from maybe one cripple inside the house, who was getting dangerously close to ending up on my shitlist.

Though the urge lessened as I had seen how Charlie was laying into him during the short conversation I had been having with Sam.

''Intentionally.'' Sam repeats back to me, and I see a strange emotion cross his features. Was that empathy?

''Look, Sam, I'm going to cut the crap. I've only been what I am for two weeks now. I have no guidelines on what or how I can do things. What happened earlier with Jake, it was like I was in a trance. And I'm grateful that Jared was there. His howl pulled me out of it. If I had hurt Jacob, I don't know if I could have forgiven myself.'' I just hoped my sincerity would count for something, as my cards were on the table.

He spent some time thinking it through, before he responded. ''So you aren't always safe to be around.'' It held an edge to it that I didn't like hearing. He inhaled a deep breath, before letting it out in an exaggerated sigh. ''That's a risk we can't afford to live with.'' He seemed resigned to his decision. So that was it then? I could be a potential risk, so I had to die? Hardly the actions of 'guardians'.

Anger flared in me, but as I prepared to release the cloak and engage him, something drew my attention. I turned in surprise, leaving me exposed to the wolves. Not that it mattered, as they jumped into the clearing, flanking Sam. They had clearly sensed them too.

Two silvery-neon outlines, followed by five more, came walking calmly out from the forest. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised that it was Alice dancing in my direction, slightly ahead of Carlisle. And I couldn't stop the smile that graced my lips as the little pixie walked up beside me, bumping her shoulder against mine with a smile. That little woman had terrific timing.

''Boys.'' Her melodious voice carried in the crisp night air, though with everyone but me having increased hearing, it seemed like a waste. The warning held within the words were clear though. Carlisle walked up on the other side of me without a care. He even held a smile, pointed at Sam.

''Sam Uley. To what do we owe the pleasure?'' The saccharine tone of Carlisle was clearly intentional, hinting at his displeasure at the current display. How much did they see before they entered my range? How long had they been hiding nearby without anyone noticing.

''This girl came to our lands, and nearly hurt one of our people.'' Sam said in a defensive tone. He clearly knew he was outmatched here, if the Cullen's were to stand with me. And with how Alice was acting, and Emmett seemed to be readying for a fight behind us, I would guess they were. The sound of his knuckles creaking as he massaged his fist reached even my ears.

''Yes, and as clearly stated, nothing happened. Surely you wouldn't punish her before a crime was committed?'' Carlisle rebutted, his tone shifting into one of challenge. The way he was still smiling while saying this crept me out. I did not want to be on the receiving end of that.

But Sam didn't flinch. He even seemed to gain some courage. ''She is a danger to every human she meets!'' The wolf on his left snarled in agreement, raking the ground with one large paw. This caused Carlisle's eyes to narrow, and the smile faded like it had never been there to begin with.

''So is every one of you.'' He declared, pointing at the three of them. ''But if you aren't swayed by that fact, consider this. Isabella Swan is under our protection. Harm her and the treaty is void.'' My head whipped sideways to stare bug-eyed at him. I had expected them to stand up for me, not to declare battle lines.

Alice snaked a cold, strong arm around my side and pressed us together in a hug, standing on the tips of her shoes. The smile adorning her face looked positively maniacal.

Sam's jaw clenched upon hearing the ultimatum. ''I see. She is your responsibility then. And don't forget. The treaty works both ways.'' He stands for a few more seconds, before he turns to leave.

The awkward part of it all is that he came in the car with Billy, and that was behind all of the Cullen's. So as the wolves walked back into the woods, Sam had to go around us. Giving us a wide berth, he walked nearly down to the road, before heading into the driver seat of his car.

This gave me the time to actually turn to face the rest of the vampires that had come to my aid. The first person I looked upon was the only member of their family I had yet to meet. A brown haired woman, looking to be in her mid twenties. I could immediately tell from the smile she gave me that she was kind. Or I'm getting hopeless with reading peoples intentions.

''Hi there. I'm Bella.'' I said, returning her smile with one of my own, putting out a hand in her direction. She came up to me and shook it gently, seeming to be relieved that I didn't flinch at the coldness of her grasp.

''Hello Bella. I'm Esme. It's so good to finally meet you. You've been the talk of the week around the house.'' Even her voice sounds kind and inviting. I cringe as I realize it can't have been all good, what with how monday started off. And Edward was just standing off to the side, not really looking all that pleased to be here.

''I'm sorry to have caused you problems.'' I reply timidly, feeling blood rush to my face in embarrassment. Which is probably not a good thing when surrounded by vampires. Swan curse strikes again.

But she just waves it off. ''Oh nonsense dear! It's been a thrill, having everyone get so animated about the same topic.'' Esme announces, clutching her hands in front of her. Her smile even seems able to rival Alice's for intensity.

''Wow. Your eyes are really cool!'' Emmett bursts out in awe, breaking whatever spell Esme had me under. Rosalie proceeded to punch him in the arm, which caused him to flinch. ''What? It's true!'' He whined, rubbing his arm.

''Now's not the time Em.'' Rosalie chided, effectively silencing everyone.

That's when the next problem rears it's ugly head, as Billy rolls towards the entrance with Charlie in tow. It seems their conversation is over, but I can't tell how well it went. It can't ended all that badly, with how dad was following him out.

''Shit. Okay, so as short as I can explain this. I fucked up down at the rez, and it ended with me lying to Charlie about how I've gotten involved in a secret society, and that you're involved and are helping me understand it. So it might be smart for you all not to be here when Billy Black leaves, which is any second now.'' I blurt out, getting several raised eyebrows. Edward grunts in annoyance, before he leaves in a burst of speed.

''Or it might be smart for us to show our support.'' Carlisle reasons calmly. It could certainly make it more believable that they're the good guys in this, and dissuade any residual anger. But what about them showing up out of nowhere in the evening? The text I sent to Alice could be an excuse I could use. If Charlie even asked for one.

''That could work. But not with all of you. That would just cause more suspicion.'' I responded, forcing my powers to recede again now that Charlie was about to open the door.

''Me and Alice then?'' Carlisle asked, the imp in question gripping my arm tightly. I don't think I could get her off of me if I tried. So I nodded in response, and the other four followed in the direction Edward had ran earlier.

The creaking of the door opening is heard from the house, and Alice walks us towards it while Carlisle tails behind. We reach the porch just as Billy turns back around. He's startled by the presence of the Cullen's with me, and shoots a glance at Sam in the car.

''Billy.'' Carlisle says with a smile. It doesn't fool me. There is a taunting edge to it that is clear as day. Billy just grunts in response, before rolling past us towards the car.

Charlie tilts his head sideways at the presence of the doctor as well, and is instantly on the defensive if his body posture is anything to go by.

''Hi Chief!'' Alice announces with a grin, having pulled us all the way to the door. Dad seems even more taken aback by the intensity of the little girl next to me. Not that I blame him.

''Hello, umm...'' He starts, before glancing at me. I just nod my head towards the hand gripping my shoulder. Surely he could guess from the size and... pose, which of the Cullen's she was. ''… Alice, was it?'' And she beams a smile at him at his correct guess, nodding with fervor.

''Good evening Charlie.'' Carlisle utters, moving to stand beside us. The revving of the car behind us is given no mind, as they hurry down the street and out of sight.

''Carlisle.'' Charlie says, with more of an edge to his voice. It was clear that he wasn't all that thrilled with what I had told him still.

''They came to help clear up the mess with Sam.'' I say to placate him somewhat, and he seems to take it into consideration as his jaw loosens a little.

''Bella told me she has informed you about the intricacies of the situation.'' Carlisle confirms without missing a beat. Alice just leans her head against my shoulder in silence, waiting for the moment she is needed. She better use those visions of hers to make sure Charlie doesn't go ballistic, or I would ask for a refund.

''She wouldn't tell me all of it, just that it's some big secret to keep everyone safe.'' Charlie responds, giving me a disapproving look. ''If even a hair-'' He starts, before Carlisle interrupts.

''Chief. As a father myself, I know how you feel. I would never let anyone harm your daughter. You have my word.'' The declaration seems to sway Charlie, as he nods approvingly.

''Good.'' He scrunches his beard for a second, before his manners seem to come back to him. ''Do you want to come in? Get a coffee maybe?'' Dad offers, standing a little to the side and point into the house.

''We wouldn't want to impose. Besides, I'm sure my wife is expecting us home any minute. Perhaps another time?'' Carlisle responds smoothly, and while Charlie seems a bit disappointed at first, he doesn't mention it.

''Another time then.'' He says with a smile.

''You'll come to my place tomorrow then?'' Alice asks with her bell like voice, putting me on the spot. The smile that has yet to leave her makes it hard for me to think.

''Ehh... Sure.'' Is everything I manage to get out, before she lets me go. The two of them turns around and starts walking down the street, before Alice turns sideways back to us.

''It's a date!'' I almost stumble as I had started moving inside. I end up having to catch myself on the door-frame, which groans in displeasure at the added weight.

Charlie just chuckles as he goes into the kitchen.

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 **AN: I hope you enjoyed the ups and downs of this chapter! If there is anything you're wondering about or things you don't think fit the narrative, please don't hesitate to point it out!**

 **\- For the ones of you that came over to this story from my first one, I have a question. As you most likely saw with the last update to it, I said I would take it down a month or two after starting this one. That has yet to happen, as there are still people following/favoriting it.**

 **I don't want to take it down if it's still something people enjoy, and I don't want to keep it up on my account. Frankly, I'm embarrassed every time I try to read any of it, and there's barely even a story there. Not to mention the smut.**

 **I guess the question is basically; do you think I should put it up for adoption? As it is now, this story is diverging so far away from the original that I don't really see it being a problem. And if that's a storyline one of you would like to continue and explore, I don't really mind it. As long as it actually gets a story. XD**

 **Send me a pm or something if you have any thoughts about it, if you care enough to do so. Or even if you're interested in doing it yourself.**

 **Thank you for your time.**

 **\- Geezorbee**


	14. Unholy Communion

**AN: That's the second chapter in a row now that's been about twice the length I usually do. I hope you all like it!**

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 **Deadly Affection – Reimagined**

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of it's characters. I just play around with them.

 **Chapter 14: Unholy Communion**

 **Bella PoV**

I had to lean my back against the bedroom door, my body feeling almost numb. Why had that elicited such a reaction from me? That Alice! That little trickster always jokes around. Surely it was a joke! Gosh, if she could see my reaction now she would surely be rolling around on the floor laughing.

Besides, she has a boyfriend. Jasper. The one of them that's seemingly the least safe to be around. He had kept his distance outside, standing back with Edward. I wonder if it's a sort of opposites attracting with the two of them. Alice being so full of life and laughter, and Jasper being so ready to end it.

The creak of the metal handle bending in my grip pulled me back out of my musings. The numbness was gone, replaced by a more uncomfortable one I couldn't place. With a little effort, I managed to bend the handle back to a somewhat similar state that it had been in, before flopping down on my bed.

I could _see_ that Charlie was still in front of the television downstairs, with cans of beer empty on the table in front of him. He didn't want to tell me what Billy had said to him. Only that they cleared the air.

That concerned me a great deal more when I took into account the way he was looking at me. He didn't seem to fully believe my story, though I guess I didn't give him much reason to. But the scrutiny of his look only compounded my guilt. I just hope Billy didn't say anything about what I am.

I hugged my pillow tightly to my body, having kicked off my clothing to the side of the bed. It wasn't late by any means, but I was getting tired from the exiting events of today. Sleep would do me good I think. If only my mind would stop going overboard with replaying the events.

The wolves had come ready to end me, and Billy must have known that. But I have no doubt that if Billy had told Charlie that they were possibly going to hurt me, he wouldn't have jumped out there to defend me. Even now. For however long, Charlie still loves me.

A sense of pressure at the base of my skull throbbed, and for a brief moment it felt like there was some hope for the future. Only to be crushed by that cynical part of me, whispering about how the Cullen's had to babysit me now. Whatever the treaty they had been speaking off entailed, I was a rogue element to it.

It seemed from the way Carlisle had greeted Sam, that he considered them guests. As if they had come to their home. Their land. And with how Billy was in on it, and Sam was also a native of the Quileute tribe, I would hazard a guess that the rest of the wolves were as well. So their territory was to the west, near the ocean.

And they had seemed aggressive only after I had shown hostile intent towards Jake. Well they didn't react before then at least. Had they been keeping an eye on me while I was down there? I hadn't seen them before the howl, but that didn't mean they weren't there. The range of my sight was limited when I wasn't intentionally powering up.

But they had been open to eliminating me, while not on their land. That seemed... off. If you had a treaty to not fight an enemy, why have the temerity to attack a new foe on the old enemies lands? Unless you were certain that they would not take an affront to the blatant disrespect of the act. Or they believed themselves to be righteous, justified in taking justice into their own hands. To take out someone that could possibly cause the death of innocents for no better reason than that they could.

That made me see the Cullen's in a new light. Their choice to change their diet. To feed on animals, rather than humans. It was more than a wish to be better than their kind. They wanted to belong in this world. They even forged a somewhat shoddy peace with a pack of horse sized wolves to do so. And in an effort to coexist, they didn't enforce the treaty as strictly as the wolves did. Before me. A third party. The rogue element. And the Cullen's chose to put their faith in me.

There was a feeling of gratitude within me from that, but it warred with the indignation of being belittled. I could keep from killing other humans very well on my own thanks. I could even manage to avoid killing animals. Poor things.

As much as I wanted to will my brain not to, I imagined seeing sweet little Alice pounce on one of the deer that had been close to us at the lake. Even kicking off my sheets and staring up into the roof didn't stop the situation from playing in my mind over and over. It was both aggravating and entrancing. But imagining her as a predator in her own right alerted me to something else.

The invitation from Alice was more than just a joke on her part. It would be the first proper introduction with the entire coven. That didn't concern me as much as with the wolves. The Cullen's knew of the struggle it could be to be cursed with the power to take life. Even if they put less emphasis on the lives of animals, rather than humans, I could see their point of view. I could understand that, as they needed to kill _something_ to survive. Wild animals dying would bring less grief to their surroundings than humans would.

The meeting would no doubt include the finer points of the treaty that I needed to know, so as not to ruin their relationship with the wolves. They had come to my aid, sure. But I had no illusions that they would coddle me with this. They had spent their sweet time deciding what they were going to do before they came to my defense. If they thought I would become a threat to humans... I don't think they would take that lightly.

I was about to throw my pillow at the wall in front of me when my phone beeped. It was still in my pants, so I had to get up from bed to go pick it up. I almost dropped the pillow in surprise, as I saw that it was a text from Alice.

 _'Are you okay?'_ It was a simple question, and with the current circumstances it wasn't a completely foolish one. But I knew this little pixie better than that by now. She wouldn't sent that text with how she had left not thirty minutes ago. She had seen me with her visions. Or she was spying on me. Paranoia made me power up enough for the telltale red glow to fill the dark room, but there was no silvery entities in range. Only humans and small critters. I scoffed at my reaction, walking over to the window to let in some cold air. It helped calm me down as the power withdrew.

What was to become of me, being so easily prodded to action. I tried to forget it all as I breathed in the fresh pine-scented air. This was so different to what it smelled like down in Phoenix, and the thought made me feel homesick. The sound of the wind whistling through the trees was soothing. And it was frustrating that even when I closed my eyes, I could not stop the second sight, to focus only on sound and smell. I actually longed for a reprieve.

I thought back to the meeting this morning. My second sight had actually disappeared briefly. And ever since then, I've noticed a dull ache in the back of my head. As best as I could remember, I think it was the shock of what happened that caused it to skip a beat. Or it had something to do with the water, and my weakness to it. But I don't think that was it. Even though my power had been drained dramatically, my cloak never shut down in that time frame.

I could feel the vibrations of the phone alerting me to another message, with it pressed between my body and the pillow I was leaning on. With almost half my body sticking out of the window, I took another deep breath, and focused on that spot in the back of my mind. Most of my powers so far had reacted to my thinking about them. This one hadn't budged yet though.

Focusing on that point, I tried to visualize a switch in my mind. A common light switch that could be turned on and off with a flick of the hand. I willed myself to see it in my mind. To materialize it in it's off-white color. And then I willed myself to flick it off.

And just like that, it was gone. The dull ache disappeared like it had never been there. And with it went my second sight. I actually had to open my eyes to prove to myself I hadn't just fallen asleep or something. And while the forest outside wasn't as dark as I thought it should be at this hour, there it was. But the joy quickly turned to panic as I started missing the safety of it.

So much so that I pressed the powers through my body yet again, flaring red eyes burning bright enough for it to be visible on the trees. And with it, the second sight came back. There was still no supers in range, even though a few squirrels seemed to be fleeing the nearby trees. Probably from me.

As they skittered between the branches, I tried to will the switch off again with my powers on this time. And sure enough, the second sight disappeared yet again. And I could will it to turn back on. Off and on I went a few more times, getting used to the feeling, before calming back down.

The smile on my face met the dark as I closed my eyes and focused completely on the smells and sounds of the forest. For some reason, it seemed even better than before. I enjoyed the sensation for what felt like minutes, before another vibration disturbed me.

I got upright and closed the window again, before jumping into bed. The light of the display on my phone stung my eyes as I unlocked it, displaying two new messages from Alice.

 _'Bella I can see that you're awake. Please tell me you're okay.'_ Read the first one, sent almost five minutes before the second. _'Bella, I'm going to have to come over there if you don't respond. Please.'_ I stared at the words, reading them over and over. But I couldn't tell if they were words of concern, or warning.

Motes of anger came and passed. I was powering up several times with seemingly no reason, if viewed by an outsider. No wonder she might be thinking I was breaking.

 _'I'm good. A lot's happened today, is all.'_ I texted her back, finding myself staring at the screen for her reply. It went dark before an answer came, and I put the phone down on the bed while I got the bed sheet back over me. I briefly wondered if I could make myself feel the cold properly again, but that was a test for another time.

The beep didn't surprise me this time, nor did the brightness. The reply was just as ambiguous as before. _'Oh, that's good! You looked really intense there at one point. Want to talk about it?'_

Great. I didn't even have time to finish the text before that whisper that was my cynical side tried making a ruckus. How she was mock concern to spy on me. To glean information about my sanity. How likely I was to snap.

And it did have a point, going against itself. How could they _not_ want to find out how sane I was, with how messed up my mind was? I even admitted that to them at the lake. So the cynical part tried to reason with my survival instincts, scheming up ways to appease the new vampire lords, while revealing nothing...

I just threw the idea out with a forceful exhale, and set upon responding to her question as well as I could. Without incriminating myself.

 _'Perhaps a less intense version of what happened thursday. Not really sure. So what are the Quileutes? Werewolves are supposed to be half man, half wolf right? So what are they?'_ I placed the phone down on my chest as I waited for her to respond, while trying to imagine what she would say.

Would she take my excuse at face value? Would she press it maybe? How willing were they to give up secrets they know of others to an outsider? It was vexing, how much doubt I started to feel as the seconds ticked by.

I had to remember to have faith in Alice. She had promised me. And they had come to my aid. I could endure the possibility of being let down for one more day.

Then came another beep, and before it had finished I was opening the message. _'That sucks. Do you want to postpone tomorrows meeting? There is no rush. Oh and you're right about the dogs. They're shapeshifters, not werewolves.'_

Relief fueled the hope that the questions was out of concern. She had been open about a fact that could be considered valuable. And the fact that she offered to postpone, made me want to do it sooner. I blocked out the cynical part's whispers.

 _'No, I want to meet tomorrow. But I really should get some sleep beforehand, unlike some. Night Alice.'_ I put the phone away and laid my head on my pillow with a smile.

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

For the first time in a while now, I was actually lying awake before my alarm would go off on a weekday. And I felt so content, just staring up into the ceiling. I knew the meeting later would have an impact on me, and I should be stressed out because of it. But I just couldn't find a reason to worry. Alice would make it work itself out, after I've made a huge fool of myself in one way or another.

It was in fact her that became the reason I got out of bed. My phone beeped again, and it was a short text like just hours previous. It was bizarre to consider that she hadn't actually slept in that time. That they never slept at all. It had just been a handful of hours of darkness for her. I wonder what she did in that time? Did she read a good book? Did she work on a hobby of some sort? Was she out hunting animals to drain of their blood...

I binned the thought, instead reading the text over a second time. _'What's got you in such a good mood, sleepyhead?'_ The smiley she had added at the end told me she meant that in a teasing manner. I felt the blush spread across my face as I remembered the last words she spoke before she left yesterday. And with how I must look to her now... That little minx probably imagined something quite other than what was actually going on. Not that such stray thoughts hadn't been going through my mind, but that was not important. I buried the accompanying feelings deep, so they wouldn't hurt me.

Tapping my fingers across the buttons on my phone, I set to replying her message with a teasing one of my own. _'Nothing big. Just a small something or another. And good morning to you too, Akasha.'_ I hit send while burying my face in my pillow. I was such a lost case.

Barely seconds went by before the next beep came from my phone. _'That's why you guessed it so quickly! Oh I should have known from your question about being out during the day!'_ I was a little vexed with the fact that it had taken me that long to guess. I had been to see Queen of the Damned in the cinema with Audrey just a few weeks prior to all of this happening.

Another beep followed shortly after. _'Emmett told me to tell you that he likes your choice in movies.'_ The thought made me laugh, vampires watching vampire movies. Which didn't appear to have much in common with the actual kind. But this all brought up a worrying question for me.

 _'Hey, didn't you tell me I was a black-spot in your visions? How did you know I was in a good mood?'_ Or was she actually spying on me? I thought it had been a good thing, that I couldn't be seen in her visions. In case they wanted to harm me, they couldn't find me like that. Had she been lying to me back then? That certainly soured my mood.

 _'I don't know what changed. The first time I could see you was yesterday morning, when you showed up early.'_ Came the response after a couple of minutes. Was she conflicted about telling me, or was she lying to make it sound better to me? What about their other abilities? Did Edward still have a hard time reading my mind? I kind of hope he does. I hope he gets a headache even trying. I don't need anyone knowing what I was thinking. To know how unraveled I was becoming.

I didn't notice that my jaw had clenched before the next text beeped it's arrival. _'I was going to tell you later today, after the meeting. I'm sorry.'_ My anger deflated quickly, and I set to replying. It probably wasn't her fault that she could suddenly see me in her visions. And warning me that they could suddenly watch my every move before deciding what to do didn't make any strategic sense.

 _'That's okay, I was just wondering is all. So did you spend the night doing anything productive?'_ With it cruising along the airwaves to the nearest cell towers connecting us, I got up from bed. The first thing I noticed was the mess that was my hair. Again. I never had that much of a problem when I lived down in Phoenix... Maybe it was the additional moisture in the air?

Tossing my clothes in the hamper, I picked out a new set and headed into the bathroom. Only to walk straight into the door, as it didn't open. ''I'll be out in a minute, Bells.'' I heard Charlie's voice muffled through the wood. How embarrassing!

Rubbing my nose, I went back into my room and sat down on the bed, as another text beeped in. _'I actually started a couple of new projects which I'm very excited for! I can't wait to show them to you!'_ Several smileys followed that clued me in to how thrilled she had been to my change of subject. I had hit gold with a subject I could use to distract her at a later date if needed.

''All clear.'' Came dads voice from down the hall as he left the bathroom, and walked back into his own. I actually felt a little happy that I made that little accident. It proved to myself that I'm still me in a weird sort of way. And Charlie probably got a good chuckle out of it.

So for take two, I didn't try to barrel my way through the door. Instead I took my time walking in, placing the fresh clothes next to the sink, before stripping down. Making sure the water was the right temperature before stepping into the shower, I took my time letting it wash over me. I even spent a few extra seconds just enjoying the strawberry scented shampoo Charlie had gotten for me. Before my phone beeped on top of my clothes, and I was reminded of what Alice had just said.

Suddenly feeling like there were eyes everywhere watching me, I covered myself as best as I could. It was probably just paranoia. Didn't stop me from whispering a threat into thin air though. ''You better not be spying on me in the shower Alice!''

After a few seconds I came to realize how dumb I must have looked. And with a little effort I managed to work through the paranoia, and finish my bathroom routine.

 _'Speaking of past conversations, are you sure you're good with coming to meet all of us?'_ Read the text Alice had sent while I was in the shower. I pondered it as I was drying my hair down. I had said that I only wanted two of them in the same room at the same time. Not that it been that much effort, other than at lunch. It didn't seem like most of them were anywhere close most of the time in school. I did add that it was only until I trusted them though, and I had said I would do that yesterday. So why was she giving me an out? Did she think I would back down now, after being threatened by the wolves like that? Quite the opposite.

 _'I'm actually looking forward to it. When would you guys want to do this?'_ I texted back to her, barely managing to get the screen lock on before she replied.

 _'Now?'_ The response was so Alice it made me smile. But it was still ridiculously early, and Charlie had gone back to bed. I really don't want to bail on him before he wakes up twice in a row. Then again, he did tell me to leave a note for him if I did it again. He didn't say I couldn't.

My stomach growling did tell me about something that needed fixing before anything else though. Boy was I hungry! I basically ran down the stairs and raided the fridge, loading up anything edible. As I was chowing down in a very messy fashion, I tried texting Alice back. It took a few tries to correct the errors I was making.

 _'Give me half an hour or so. I need to eat.'_ I didn't add the fact that I would also go outside to fuel up my other powers as well, even though she could probably see my decision.

After finishing more food than was anatomically possible, I went outside to one of the closest trees to the house, and drained as much as I could before popping the cloak. It would have to do, as I had no intention of walking in there naked. Or looking like I was prepared for a fight. I needed allies.

I was writing the note to Charlie as the doorbell rang. ''Just let yourself in Alice.'' I said in a normal voice, figuring she could probably hear me from outside. I heard the door opening as I finished writing, and tacked the note to the fridge with a magnet. 'I'm heading over to the Cullen's. I have my cell with me, so call me if there is anything. Love Bella.'

''Good morning, sleepyhead.'' Alice whispered from right behind my back, and I jumped around in surprise. She tilted her head to the side in confusion. I hadn't heard a sound other than the front door closing again.

''Sorry about that. I managed to shut down my second sight last night. It has been such a relief on my mind, but I'm starting to see how much I have been depending on it.'' I tell her with reddening cheeks, somewhat embarrassed from being caught so off guard. ''And good morning to you too, Imp.'' I add as a tease, sticking my tongue out at her.

Her brilliant smile makes itself known as she takes the new information in stride, seemingly not even bothered by it. She must really be looking forwards to the meeting later. I see her taking stock of her surroundings, eyeing the inside of the house for the first time. Not even a glance is given to the note I had just put up, but then again she could have read that as she snuck up on me.

''I really like your home.'' Alice spoke softly, and I immediately felt awkward. Her words were kind and I believed she was being honest, but I didn't really feel like it was _my_ home yet. It was still very much Charlie's house to me, even though I knew in my rational mind that I was going to be living here for a while. Alice seemed to catch on to my internal strife rather quickly as she looked at me. ''Not quite settled in?'' Again her melodious voice was soft as a feather. I just nodded and let my eyes fall to the floor. What is this little pixie doing to me.

''So I'm ready to go, if you are?'' I forced myself to speak, as I pointed her back towards the entrance. With a bounce to her steps, she floated towards the door, and I followed behind her, gathering my keys and jacket on the way.

Stepping outside confirmed what I had suspected. Alice didn't come here in a car. And she's wearing a mischievous grin as she hops into the passenger seat of my truck. Just how much of a schemer can one little girl be? I just sigh my frustrations away as she starts to give me directions to their place. To my surprise, they actually live to the east of Forks. Why I imagined them as living to the south, I can't tell. Maybe something about south symbolizing hell, and them being vampires? Who knows. In an attempt to hide the silence that grows between us, I turn on the radio. The familiar tunes of Zedd – Happy now, starts playing and I am finally able to let my shoulders down.

It was still early morning, yet the sun was nowhere to be seen. In a twist that surprised absolutely nobody in Forks, the clouds had come out in force. It looked like it would rain today, with how grey the clouds seemed. Hopefully it would take the last remains of snow with it.

As we get on a narrow road leaving town, Alice turns to me and just stares at me. I try my best to pretend I don't notice. I did though. I was so painfully aware of just how long she had been staring. I want to ask her what her issue is, but I'm afraid. I don't want her to stop looking at me. I go so far as to activate my second sight so I can look back at her. All sneaky like.

There is something so captivating about her. The silvery outline becomes clearer the longer I look at her. I can see just how the shapes of her face forms an almost perfect sculpture. I am actually relieved to notice some flaws to her picturesque form. Like the fact that her left brow has more hairs than the right. And that the fold of her left nostril is slightly thicker, if only just. Little imperfections. It makes her even cuter.

''Why are you trying so hard not to look at me?'' Alice speaks up suddenly, breaking me out of my thoughts. I swerve over in the opposite lane from the surprise, but quickly recover. Thankfully there are no other cars in sight. Alice just laughs, and this time I do turn my head in her direction.

''I... don't know.'' I lie, and feel a sting of pain as her smile falters. ''I didn't want to disturb you, maybe...'' I trail off, and am rewarded with her tinkling laughter. The Swan curse started to heat up my cheeks, and I turned back to keep an eye on the road.

''You really are weird.'' Her hand comes up to cover her mouth as she keeps laughing, before she continued. ''Please don't ever change.'' The anger stills at her appreciation, but I still feel somewhat slighted. Was the only reason that she didn't want me to change because she found it so easy to have fun at my expense? I was just about to voice my issue with that, but she cuts me off, probably having seen what I would say. ''Please don't misunderstand me. My family all have their own idiosyncrasies, but not like you. Somehow you just continue to surprise me. And knowing what I can do, I'm sure you can understand how precious that is to me.''

My anger recedes from her words as I see her turn and look out into the forest on the other side. And it strikes me just how much more dull life would be without any surprises. Was this part of the reason she acts the way she does? Seemingly being so ridiculously happy all the time, to hide how it affected her? Another mystery to the tiny form that was Alice.

''Hey...'' I say quietly, placing my right hand on her cold thigh. She whips her head in my direction faster than humanly possible, and the words get stuck in my throat. I want to comfort her, but I don't know how. I don't even know if she wants it, with how she looks right now. The smile she's giving me, doesn't reach her eyes. It makes me feel uneasy, and I retract my hand without another word. Silence once again fills the gap between us, with only the music to keep it from being overbearing.

Even if she does have a big family of people that doesn't resent her for what she is, there isn't much that could stop the boredom. Even if they had an outing that would be enjoyable for all parties, knowing everything that was going to happen must be miserable. And I considered my little quirks a curse...

There was the fact that people would have to decide on a course of action before she knew what would happen. But how often did we ever have to do that, truly? How often do humans not just go with the first impulse in most situations? Like my little accident in Phoenix. I didn't have to think about what I was going to do. Not even what I was going to say. I just said what came to mind, without thinking it through. I didn't think to hold my tongue after Justin's verbal jab. It's like a preset response in me, that when someone bad-mouths my friends, I retaliate.

I just hope Alice manages to keep from becoming too jaded as time passes. I hope Jasper can keep her from breaking...

''It's a left here, on that road up ahead.'' Alice announces minutes in silence. She points ahead of us, and I could barely see the opening in the trees where a narrow dirt road was hidden.

Through dense forest we drove, with branches cut cleanly to make a passage barely bigger than my truck. It was so dense I could barely see the sky between the trees. Two more twists to the path, and the place suddenly opened up into a big clearing, with one huge house standing at the end. Three stories tall, with faded white walls interspersed between the massive windows that seem to go from floor to roof of each tier of the building.

It was so open and bright compared to what I had imagined. Then again, why would they try to make their house look like what one imagined a vampire lair looked like. That would just be stupid. And horribly boring for the occupants, I'd guess.

Speaking of them. They were all lined up in front of the door, looking at us as I parked the car beside the garage. The parents, Esme and Carlisle held the center, with Emmett and Rosalie on their left, and Jasper and Edward on the right. And only one didn't seem to hold a smile as we walked up to them. _Why the dour face, shitward?_

That earned me a low growl, which Alice reacted to with clearing her throat as she glared daggers at Edward. Carlisle even gave him a little look, before he motioned to speak. It made me feel better that Alice chose to stand beside me, rather than go to join her boyfriend. And I knew thinking that was incredibly selfish, but I couldn't help it.

''Welcome to our home, Bella.'' Carlisle's voice was deep and calm as he made a small bow to me. Esme, who had her arm locked with her husband, looked like she was struggling not to move. And all eyes but Jasper's were on me. Didn't help with the butterflies any, being the center of attention.

''Thank you Carlisle. It's a very beautiful one at that, I must say.'' Somehow I managed to not stutter even though it felt like I was about to jump out of my own skin. Before I felt a cold hand encircle my right. And it was as if the nerves just vanished. Alice was here. She would make everything work out.

The loud boisterous voice of Emmett rang out suddenly. ''Let me see what you can do! I want to see how strong you really are!'' His face was one big grin, before it turned into one of pain as Rosalie yanked on his ear after he tried to walk towards me.

''You just want to get to see her naked.'' Edwards voice was so low I could barely hear it, but it elicited the signature blush none the less. I quick crack was heard as Emmett fell to the ground, holding his side as he wheezed. Rosalie had her fist clenched, but didn't move.

''Emmett!'' Esme chided, with a look of abject horror on her face. It was quickly exchanged with an apologetic one as she looked back to me. ''Please don't mind them dear. Try as I might, they just can't seem to learn proper manners.'' She also directed a look in Edward's direction, to which he just scoffed. What an ass.

Alice, in all of this, had done nothing. She had been as still as a statue, and only seemed to react when I gripped her hand in mine gently. Her eyes locked with mine with a timid smile, before she spoke. ''Do you guys mind if we take this inside? It's going to rain.'' And as if she had given the command herself, drops started to drizzle from the sky.

''Seems like that would be for the best.'' Carlisle agreed, as he and Esme turned an entered the house first, with me and Alice holding up the rear. She had squeezed my hand and given me a reassuring smile before letting go.

As the nerves came back, I decided to flip on my other sight again. Letting my range flow out enough to cover the house at least, I checked for any hidden surprises. There were of course none. So I calmed down so as to not pop my red eyes in their home. Don't want any misunderstandings.

I followed the vampires into the living room of the first floor. The most peculiar thing about the room was that there was only really one wall. The three other walls was just windows from top to bottom. From the foot of the hill the house was standing near, to most of the clearing outside was visible from here. And with the trees casting their shadows in the dim light of the day, the rain revealing their green color even more. It was almost magical.

A large couch, two love seats and a few comfy chairs surrounded a table near the white wall. The parents, along with Jasper and Alice had taken to the couch. Emmett and Rosalie was on their left again in a love seat, Rosalie nestling in Emmett's giant arms. A single chair was open between them and Edward, and as said douche was staring at me, I could tell he wanted me to sit there. It would be straight across from Carlisle and Esme, and it would probably be courteous to sit there. But I wasn't in the mood to sit next to the mind reader.

Rather, I kept walking. I went to the edge of the couch and plopped down in a love seat, closest to Jasper and Alice. It would make me feel even more comfortable if Alice was the one in the closest corner, but hey. No such luck. From my seat, I had to Rosalie and Emmett across from me, and actually had to lean on the left side of the seat to see Carlisle and Esme properly. A curious smile came to Jasper's mouth, as Alice beamed at me. Along with a sudden sense of joy.

I didn't even need to _look_ at Edward to know he was scowling. He was seriously getting on my nerves.

''So.'' Carlisle started, with a pointed look at the brat. After he rolled his eyes, the scowl faded. ''First things first. The story you told Charlie...'' Carlisle trailed off, seeming to not find the right words. I knew it wasn't optimal to out them as a secret society. It was perhaps too close to the truth.

''I know.'' I replied quietly. I noticed the floorboards were of some form of dark wood. It contrasted well against the white wall. ''I was going to tell him what I was, after the reaction I got from the shape-shifters. Dad... He's had it rough the last couple of years from what I've gathered. But I panicked. I was afraid of what he might do if I told him I wasn't completely human.''

''Please don't misunderstand me Bella. I care about Charlie. He's a good man. But if he knew what we are, it would put his life in danger.'' Carlisle's voice was grave, and it made me stare at him. There was no hostility in his eyes. I took a moment to unclench my fist that had balled up from the response.

''This might very well put us at risk as well, but I'm going to tell you why, so you can understand.'' He starts to explain, but I cut him off.

''If _anyone_ tries to hurt my dad. They're going to have to go through me.'' I stare into his eyes for a reaction, knowing my eyes were blazing red now. My entire body is vibrating with energy, and I find it difficult to stay still.

The response is a silence that fills the living room, before an unnatural calm tries to force itself upon me. So this was his power then. I glare at Jasper to my right, who tries to subtly inch away from me. The calm feeling disappears as Alice pokes her head and and gives me this petulant look.

''Well _we're_ certainly not going to hurt him Bella. I already promised you that.'' Her voice cuts like a blade, and I find the anger that had been building fade away. Replaced with shame for my outburst.

''I'm sorry.'' I mutter as I look to the carpet beneath the table. I notice that several of them only now start breathing again. This really wasn't going like I had imagined. ''I'm finding there are certain triggers that make it difficult for me to contain my anger. Charlie being one of them. Still, I should not have acted like that. I hope you can forgive me.'' I say in a louder tone.

Alice smiles and falls back to her place behind Jasper, followed by him easing up as well. I notice Carlisle and Esme share a look, before they both give a nod to each other. His smile stays as he turns to me again. ''We can all understand the wish to keep your family safe. It's what keeps us together.'' As Carlisle says this, I notice Emmett hug Rosalie just a little tighter. I swallow a lump in my throat as I'm reminded of how Renèe and Phil used to act. The pang of longing for those times is washed away as Carlisle continues.

''The reason why knowing of our existence can be dangerous, is because of a powerful faction of vampires in Italy called The Volturi. They're an incredibly old family that's become something akin to royalty among our kind.'' Images of incredibly old and wrinkly dudes with gray hair popped into my mind. The tone Carlisle explained it with dispelled that notion. They wouldn't be able to keep control of vampires around the world by playing fair. What would it take to make vampires thousands of miles away from you, fear your very existence enough that you would obey them? That thought scared me.

''So a family of boogeymen for vampires? How powerful are they compared to the other supernatural creatures' societies?'' I ask him, hoping there were some sort of checks and balances to even things out.

''There are no other races on the global scale anymore.'' The finality of his response makes a chill run down my spine. ''There are pockets of other supernatural beings around, like the shape-shifters of the Quileute tribe. I've only ever hear rumors of others. There used to be true werewolves around, several centuries ago, but the Volturi hunted them to extinction.'' The wood beneath the padding of the love seat I was holding cracked under the force I applied.

It would seem I was kind of late to the party then. Vampires had assumed complete control of the supernatural world. Even going as far as to hunt down the competition. And here I was. A complete unknown, trying to make an alliance with vampires. Great idea.

''Please calm down Bella. It's not as bad as he's making it out to be.'' The sound of Alice's voice soothed my nerves. ''Due to the size of their operation, they're pretty immobile. They stay in their castle in Volterra. And besides.'' She says, tapping a finger to her temple. ''I will see it if they ever try to make a move.''

The fact that we would have a warning was good. But the fact that they even had to consider that eventuality, means it was actually a thing that could happen. Things can never be easy, can they? Prying my hands out of the holes in the upholstery, I give Esme an embarrassed look.

''Don't worry about it dear. I will fix it up later.'' She says with a smile, before Carlisle clears his throat again, preparing to speak.

''The Volturi only really enforce two of their laws upon our kind. The first is to never reveal our secret to humans, which is the issue at hand. The other is to never conspire against them. The last one is the main reason you won't see many covens as big as our family.'' Carlisle didn't need to specify why. To a group of power-hungry vampires that basically ruled the world, paranoia was likely inevitable. Any perceived threat to their rule would likely elicit a harsh response.

''So hypothetically. What would be their response if they learned that you were helping me?'' I asked the room, and got a few uncomfortable shifts in response.

''Death.'' Rosalie's voice was flat as she said it, and it drove home the seriousness of our situation we were in. It caused me to chuckle as I realized what I had just thought. Seems I was beginning to trust them.

''Guess we gotta keep it hidden then.'' I said with mock cheer. Edward was the one to respond this time.

''That won't be easy. The leader of the Volturi, Aro, has the ability to see every thought you have ever had by touch. If he gets his hands on any of us now, the gig is up.'' There was a sense of gloom to his words. Like he had come to the conclusion that it was inevitably going to end that way. In any case, that power in the hands of that group was bad news for anyone that wasn't with his crew. Without anyone to keep them in check, he could claim to have seen treasonous thoughts in people just for fun, and nobody would be able to prove him wrong. Not to mention that the power itself was fucking creepy. Every thought you've _ever_ had? He was probably a perv too...

''Back to the issue at hand. As we said to the shifters yesterday, you're under our protection. That means you have to follow the rules of the treaty we have with them. And while you probably won't have a problem complying with not biting a human, there is one that might cause issue. You won't be allowed to go near their territory. Which starts basically means anywhere west of Forks. Alice can show you on a map where precisely the border starts later.'' Carlisle's tone told me there wasn't reason to argue. It was just the final word on the matter.

That certainly puts a wrench in the wheels for me joining Charlie down to meet Billy ever again. Not that I was opposed to never meeting that old fart again. But explaining that to Charlie could end up becoming a pain.

''So to summarize; I can't bite a human, I can't go onto Quileute lands and I can't get caught by any Volturi affiliated vampires. That pretty much cover it?'' My eyes were on Carlisle, trying to read any reaction from him. There were none, though that could probably be because he's a vamp.

''Pretty much.'' He said without missing a beat.

''What if I say... wanted to bite a vampire? Just for kicks...'' I joked. Emmett seemed to rumble with silent laughter. Rosalie seemed to struggle with hiding a smile.

''I'm sure they wouldn't mind, even if you bit a human. The intention of that point is to make sure we won't hurt or turn any humans.'' Edward replied smoothly, before he rose from his seat and vanished out the front door.

Huh. So vampires could be turned. I guess that makes sense with the myth, though I guess I thought it was hereditary. There hadn't been anyone to change me into whatever I was. Though I wasn't the greatest example to hold up as a mold for how the supernatural worked, considering I didn't even know _what_ I was.

''Is there anything else you would like to know Bella?'' Carlisle asked, sitting up a little straighter in the couch. Seems like the main issue was dealt with, so the meeting was just about done. What else could I ask them though. There were so many questions whirling around in my mind, but I couldn't figure out where to start. What kind of questions could you ask the head of a household full of vampires without seeming rude or stupid?

So instead I just shook my head negative. At this, the two adults in the room stood up and excused themselves, leaving me here with the two younger couples. None of them made a move to rise.

''So how strong are you?'' Emmett asked as Esme rounded the corner to the stairs. His eyes were alight with what I can only guess to be excitement. It was a little disconcerting to see on the large man-child, even though it fit his character.

''I haven't really tested my limits. I'm strong enough to break my own bones from exertion, that much I've learned. And due to the fact that I'm strongest when I'm cloaked up, it's not like I can go to a public gym to test it out...'' I explained to him, remembering the whole exploding tree incident. At this, Emmett nodded thoughtfully. He seemed to mull it over for a moment, before he snapped his fingers.

''I'm going to get some weights, so we can test it here!'' He announced, like it was no big deal at all. Rosalie sighed, before she dragged her fingers through his hair.

''You know there's still the issue of her... presentability, dear.'' Her tone held an edge that was unmistakable. And Emmett seemed to catch it as he swallowed loudly, his eyes wide.

''I would have thought a big guy like you would have some weights lying around?'' I asked him. I was curious of it myself of course, and if we could set up something for me to try out with here it would sort out one of the issues. Although I would have to test it out alone. And it would no doubt be expensive, so I would have to earn some money first.

''Not really a point I'm afraid. Being turned enhances our physique from when we were human, but when it's done our bodies doesn't change anymore. Like we're frozen in time. We can't get stronger from exercise.'' Emmett answered with a serious tone. And for the first time I think I saw a glimpse of who he really was, hidden underneath a mask of the silly older brother. The smile was gone as he shared a meaningful look with Rosalie, who had stilled in his grip.

For several seconds I looked between them and the other couple to my right, trying to understand what was going on. But even they didn't want to look back at me. ''I'm sorry if I...'' I started to say, before Emmett cut me off.

''It's nothing to apologize for Bella.'' He replied tersely, without looking back at me. I looked away as they pressed their foreheads together. I felt like I was intruding on something.

And so the room fell quiet for almost a minute. At one point it looked like Emmett and Rose was also going to leave the room, but nothing came of it. Looking to Jasper, it seemed like he was focused on the pair. Probably sending some calming feelings their way. With how many of them seemed to have little triggers of their own, that was probably not a bad thing to be able to do.

It was the oddest things that set them off, it seemed. Alice had reacted when I was pushing her about the worth of a human life. And then this? Why would the fact that they can't train to become stronger affect them this way? It's not like they weren't strong enough anyway, from what I've seen. Unless that wasn't it? And then a small fact that Alice had shared with me that time at school presented itself in a new light. Alice had said vampires were parasitic.

''So were you all... turned?'' I asked out loud, though I had guess the right answer before Jasper nodded to me. ''So then you were all turned when you were young.'' I stated as I noticed Alice peering at me with a grin. Had she seen what I was going to ask next?

''I think I was turned when I was nineteen. Which means I'm one hundred four years old, give or take.'' Alice said with glee, if only to further prove the fact. Could she be any more obvious? She didn't even let me ask the question.

Then the words started to make meaning in my mind. One hundred and four? This little thing? Alice? She was over a century old? A vague notion of my mouth opening and closing made me switch tracks internally, leaving that bombshell for another time.

''Phew, I hope I look that good when I'm your age!'' I said with a chuckle. The attempt from Alice to look upset was completely ruined by the smile that she didn't manage to stop. At a later point I would come to remember the open mouths from the two across from me.

''Are you saying I'm old?'' Even her attempt to sound dismayed didn't hold up as she struggled to stop a giggle. Jasper actually snorted at that, and got a playful smack on his shoulder.

''Ohh I'm not the one talking about age here honey. I'm talking about how gorgeous you are.'' The words just flowed from my mouth like I had practiced it as a pickup line specifically for immortals. And when I finally managed to comprehend what I had just said, the Swan blush reared it's ugly head. I'm pretty sure I was glowing at this point.

Emmett started to full out roar in laughter as I pushed my head into the crook of the love seat, feeling like I would die from embarrassment. No such luck.

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I don't know who, or how, someone managed to stop the giant man-child laughing. I do know it took a while, and only after he and Rosalie left the room did I look up. Jasper was smiling at me, almost as brightly as Alice herself. Which confused me, since I would have thought he would be angry with me for flirting with his girl. But he just politely shrugged it off when I tried to voice an apology.

Alice had offered to join me for the drive home, which I instantly declined. Just the thought of the horribly awkward silence that would ensue mortified me. So I had driven home alone, trying to settle my nerves. I could finally rest a little easier, knowing everything was good between me and the Cullen's. Other than Alice. God that would be awkward for a while.

Damnit, I forgot to make her show me where the border was! I would just have to remember the highlights Carlisle had told me for now. Dad might even have something that could help. I refocused on the road, not wanting to have a mistake on the wet tarmac. As I drove, the once mostly white landscape was slowly becoming more green.

Charlie was sitting on the couch as I got back in. I could still smell the bacon in the air, so breakfast must have been completed recently. Waving a simple hello to him, I snuck into the kitchen and found a treasure I would devour shortly. I brought the small bowl of bacon with me to the living room and sat down next to dad.

He was watching the local news channel, with a beer in hand. As I snacked on the meat in front of me, I found myself trying to place where the current story was from. It seemed oddly familiar. The picture switched to show at least a few dozen dead fish that had been placed in a pile. All over there was... burn marks?

Ice ran down my spine as I understood just what it was that had caused this. Me.

This is what my dad had been out to check on yesterday. And sure enough, the reporter started theorizing it might be toxic chemicals. Same as what dad's colleague had thought.

So this is what would happen to the wildlife if I was drained of energy in a lake. It was a pretty large lake though, so I don't think that was all the fish in it. Hopefully they would recover. I wonder how the fish got hurt. From the picture, most of the burns seemed scattered around different parts of the fish. Everywhere but their heads. That was not a good sign.

What would the Cullen's think about this? Would they even put it together? Who was I kidding, of course they would figure it out.

The more pressing concern is the Quileute tribe. Damage to wildlife wasn't something the Cullen's said was in the treaty, but I imagine they wouldn't have a hard time finding a reason to throw a hissy fit about it.

''You okay kiddo?'' Charlie asked, the rumbling sound of his voice filled with concern. I looked at him like a deer caught in the headlights, with a strip of bacon still hanging out of my mouth.

I quickly stuffed the rest of it in my mouth and swallowed painfully. ''Yeah. Just shocked anyone would want to poison the water up here, is all.'' I lied to him with a fake look of nonchalance. He just hummed and turned back to the screen with a grim smile.

It was as fake as the lie I had told him.

I really got to stop lying to my dad.

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 **AN: I hope you all enjoyed it again! It's getting to the point now where I'm considering a small timeskip to move thing along. The story has been mostly following the entire week and a half now, and if I want to get anywhere it needs to leap forwards somewhat. Please tell me what you think, and if there are any inconsistencies or spelling errors!**


	15. Making Friends

**AN: Did anyone catch the nod to Mass Effect in the previous chapter? I stayed silent about it, hoping someone would point it out, but no one did. Nevertheless, I hope you all enjoy this chapter, as it gets more into the characters themselves.**

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 **Deadly Affection – Reimagined**

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of it's characters. I just play around with them.

 **Chapter 15: Making Friends**

 **Bella PoV**

I couldn't quite wrap my head around the fact that Alice had been alive for more than a century. The amount of things she must have seen. Experienced. It made me dizzy just thinking about it. She was alive before both world wars. Before mankind's first missions into space. Hell, even before we knew Pluto existed. You'll always be a planet to me, little guy.

I hugged my pillow tighter to me, imagining it was something else completely. What I wouldn't give to have been able to witness some of the greatest accomplishments mankind has achieved. Then again, with how rapidly technology was improving now, some of the things that seemed so ordinary nowadays would probably seem extraordinary as time passed. History never stopped being made. Well, unless nuclear war broke out and left the world in ruins. On a cosmic scale, our little achievements probably meant jack shit. Stars being born had more reach than what hairless apes would ever have.

Then again I guess you can't measure the two against each other. No point trying to measure the ocean by counting raindrops or whatever the saying is. I rolled over on my side and reached out to grab my phone. The sound of the rain beating against the roof was the only thing heard in the house, but still it felt somewhat comforting.

Charlie had gone down to the reservation to meet Harry, leaving me alone in the house. I had excused myself from going down there of course. Dad didn't even question it.

And for as exciting my life had gotten all of a sudden, I felt bored. It was odd. Logically I would have expected myself to enjoy some me time right about now. But it was as if I was standing on a precipice, and I wanted to jump over the edge. I wanted to know everything, but I couldn't for the life of me figure out where to start.

What was it like, being a vampire? What else could they do, beside being fast and really strong? Did they have a weakness, like me? What had they experienced in their time on this earth? Who were they before they became vampires? It would be rude to demand to know their life stories, but I was curious. Who in their right mind, knowing what I know, wouldn't be.

I huffed in frustration, trying to get the myriad of thoughts out of my head. I reached over to my night table and got my phone. What better way to focus on something else than call Audrey. I froze with my thumb just about to hit call. When I talked to her, I would usually vent about the things going on. That had been made harder by the fact that I had to hide what I was from her. But with this whole ordeal with both the Cullen's and the Quileute tribe, there wasn't much else on my mind. Even with how I redacted the story about meeting a strange family that was kinda into each other, I think she knew I was keeping details from her. If I spun up a whole tale about how they helped me out with some natives that didn't like my shtick, she was bound to start prying.

So Audrey was kind of a no-go zone. Instead, I scrolled further down my contact list to find my mom. I hadn't talked to her in a few days either, and even though I would still have to lie, her harebrained nature meant she wouldn't dwell on it too much. So I hit call and put the phone up to my ear.

A few rings later, the elated greeting of my mother had me recoil slightly. ''Hey baby girl!'' I could practically _hear_ the smile on her face. In the back I heard Phil say something to her, but I didn't quite catch it.

''Hey mom.'' I replied a little startled at her high spirits.

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I was early to school monday morning, careful to pick a parking spot less prone to being smashed. So early in fact, that the Cullen's had yet to arrive. And given the fact that they were far more interesting than actually going to school, I had decided to wait for them. Not that I was wasting this free time, as I completed the last few trig questions while sitting on the hood of my tank. It was still chilly out even though the snow was gone, but I barely felt it.

The startling 'meepmemeeeep' of a car horn coming into the parking lot drew my gaze as I was putting my books back in my backpack. I couldn't help but smile as I saw Alice almost leaning in front of Edward to get at the steering wheel, with her waving in her usual, excited fashion. I debated internally if I should make a joke about how her mood should be examined by the CDC, with how infectious it was. But I opted against it. Didn't want them to know just how weird I could be just yet. Better to ease them into it.

''Hey Bella!'' Alice called out in her impossibly melodious voice, having hopped out of the door before Edward parked properly one space over from where I was. What was more frightening was how she came barreling towards me at what would be a somewhat fast speed for humans. I leaned against the front of my truck for support as she crashed into me, slowing down at the last moment so she didn't actually hurt me. There was noticeably less restraint in the hug she had enveloped me in.

With her being a little shorter than me, her face ended up at my collar bone and I _saw_ her eyes flutter as she breathed in. The cynical part of me grumbled about how she was she was acting like I was on the menu. In a sort of sick way, I felt it was kind of flattering. I knew Alice wouldn't bite me, yet the fact that my smell was appealing to her was kind of an ego boost. I really should get checked.

Edward snorted as he passed us, seeming like he was in a hurry to get away from me. ' _I'll win you over in time, Eddie.'_ I thought to him, but he made no motion to suggest he heard it as he stalked into the building.

''Hey there imp. What's got you in such a good mood?'' I asked her, noting that the three other Cullen's were walking up to us at a normal pace.

''She's been going like this since you left yesterday'' Rosalie replied with a shy smile, holding her arm around Emmett's. It actually caught my attention, to see her smile. I hadn't known her long, yet I could tell it was an honest one.

''Stop being mean.'' Alice muttered from her position, exhaling one last time before letting go of me. I felt goosebumps forming where the air touched my skin. ''I'm just happy about getting to spend more time with my new best friend!'' The way she bounced as she made her statement giggle. I also noticed her pupils were slightly dilated, which struck me as odd.

The dark center of her pupils contrasting with the gold of her iris and the white of her eye drew my attention. As her pupils slowly returned to what I could guess was the norm, faint traces of a pattern moved in the gold. Giving it an illusion of being liquid almost. It was entrancing.

From the corner of my eye I noticed Emmett grinning, which snapped me back to reality. So much so that I had to catch my breath. He played it off as nothing as he placed a kiss in Rosalie's hair, which reminded me of yesterday.

''I wanted to apologize again for... you know. I know you said I have nothing to apologize for, but I still feel guilty about it.'' I said breaking the silence. Alice frowned as I turned away from her. That pixie really must live for being the center of attention.

''That is kind of you to say, but you are already forgiven Bella. '' Rosalie replies softly, leaning her head on Emmett's shoulder. They really look happy together. Feeling my throat constrict a little, I elect to just nod my head in response.

''Can you test something for me real quick?'' Emmett pipes up with his booming voice, holding three cylindrical metal rods. ''Try to hold these while powered up. I need to see what kind of metal to use for the weights.'' I look at him as if he's grown a second head.

''I can't do that Emmett. Cloaking up means I gotta get naked. And we're in school!'' I hiss at him, feeling indignant that he would take my dignity so lightly as to not even bother.

''Can't you just activate it around your hands?'' Emmett says like it's the most simple thing in the world. How stupid must he... Then I felt myself drawn back to a memory of last week. I had managed to keep my cloak limited to just my hands when I had to destroy my ruined clothes. So it was _possible_. But no way in hell was I risking another set of clothes while at school.

''I have managed that only once.'' I grumbled bitterly, mad for my lapse in memory. I breathed deeply and tried to let the anger fade. I chuckled to myself, remembering a line from The Hulk that came out years ago.

''I won't risk it going to shit and blowing up my clothes before we're done with school for today.'' I explained to him.

''I can see the logic behind that. Why don't you hold onto them, then you can test it for yourself when you get home?'' Emmett suggests, holding them out in front of me to grab.

''Sure.'' Taking them from his giant hands, I placed them in my backpack. The rods were somewhat heavy, but I found that I didn't mind the extra weight much. ''It's about time to head in for class. I'll see you at lunch, right?'' I asked them, trying to hide the uncertainty. Again my cynical side piped up that I didn't need them to eat. I could sit with the humans if nothing else.

''I hate that I don't have any classes with you.'' Alice said, the spring in her step revealing that it didn't put her down much, as she locked arms with me and dragged me along. I was acutely aware of the looks from the couple behind us, as they followed into the building.

''Finally we can start getting to actually know each other. What's your favorite hobby?'' Alice asked almost too quick for me to understand. Her enthusiasm was hard to resist, and I found myself grinning.

''Well, Tinker Bell. If you want to know everything there is to know about me, it's only fair to return the favor right? So a game of twenty questions?'' I asked as Emmett guffawed behind us. Alice frowned at the nickname which struck me as odd, only to again take into consideration how old they actually were. It was practically impossible for me to be the first one to come up with that.

''Fine.'' She groans out like a child who's toy was stolen. ''So, favorite hobby?'' Alice asked, before letting go of my arm and turning around to the couple. ''See you at lunch. And Rose, don't bite Lauren's head off.''

''What's she going to do today?'' Rosalie asked, rolling her eyes. The humans milling around us seemed to instinctually give us a wide berth, and I noted it was almost time for class to start.

''She's going to give you a piece of her mind for scaring Tyler friday. Which you did, so be nice.'' Alice pointed out, before turning back to continue walking without a response.

I heard a faint grumble from Rosalie as we left, before Emmett called after us. ''See you later Tinker Bell!'' I could see Alice bare her fangs briefly at the mention, as Emmett laughed.

''Bite me Emmett!'' She growled after the retreating pair, with us still walking towards my class. The other kids in the hallway gave us odd looks as we went. ''So, are you going to answer?'' Her voice soft as velvet as she half-whispered. It gave me chills.

''Errm... Well, I do like reading. And watching movies. Anything that let's me escape from the dread of existence is generally good.'' I replied matter-of-factly, my brain still feeling a little numb. Alice just looked at me with furrowed brows, as if disapproving my answer. ''That is until I became... This.'' I added with a shrug. There was so much new stuff to figure out that I hadn't really had time for the mundane.

''That's... Actually kind of sad. Didn't you go out with your friends and do stuff down in Phoenix?'' Alice asked in a hushed whisper. It almost made me chuckle, how she was trying to keep that hidden from the other kids around. While I had never had many friends, I never found that to be a bad thing. I was much more of a quality over quantity kind of girl. Which in retrospect to my situation here in Forks was sort of skewed.

''I believe it's my turn to ask a question. So...'' I said, eyeing Alice up and down. Asking her the same question was a route I could go. But from how she dressed just a tad more... seriously, than the rest of her family, I had a good guess what the answer was. ''Your hobby is obviously fashion, so what else could I ask.'' I stated, keeping a keen eye on her face to see a reaction. And the half-suppressed smile was confirmation enough. ''What's the most selfless thing you've witnessed?''

My question stopped Alice's pace, and got those golden eyes to stare directly into my own. I was faintly aware of how things seemed to slow down again, but I paid it no mind as I tried to understand the thoughts going through her mind. Without taking her eyes off me, her hand snaked into my pocket and retrieved my shades, before she gently placed them on me.

''Not only do you cheat, but you go straight for the jugular when you first get the chance.'' Alice breathed with a grin. ''I very much approve, and will respond in kind you little she-devil. It's just a shame we're in school.'' She continued, her grin turning positively predatory. The hair at the back of my neck stood up, before her face turned to contemplation, and her eyes averted from mine.

Time seemed to speed back up as we started walking again, the crowds around us grew more frantic. Class must be about to start any minute. ''While some would argue it to also one of the more selfish things I have seen, there is only one thing that comes to mind. And please don't pressure them to tell you this, as it's sort of privileged information.'' Alice started, seeming somewhat torn if she should actually tell me this at all.

''It was a vision of Rosalie carry a bleeding Emmett in her arms, as she raced to get to Carlisle in time to turn him. Her eyes were completely black with hunger, yet she ran for miles with a bleeding human in her arms, not even once considering feeding off of him.'' The reverence in her tone so clear that it conveyed how hard that must have been. And it made me feel like I had intruded once again into their lives, without being worthy of the information.

I didn't really know how to respond to that. And thus we walked on in silence, both staring ahead. And then we were suddenly at my destination, with Mr. Mason ready to close the door. ''See you at lunch Bella.'' Alice said as she untangled us and left for her class. I sincerely hope she wasn't about to use her speed to reach her own class in time. That would be kind of reckless, even though there shouldn't be anyone else in the halls now.

And everyone was staring at me. Great.

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Edward had ignored my attempts to communicate during gov, both written and psychic. I was glad to see that Tyler was still in one piece, even though he had his right arm in a sling. The scribbles he made with his left were illegible, but I suppose that was the price he had to pay for causing that crash.

Jessica was a menace during trig, almost getting us caught for speaking on several occasions as she bombarded me with questions. Sure it had started innocently enough, with her asking if I had been okay after going to the hospital. But it had quickly escalated to trying to get information about a certain blonde Cullen. It hadn't gone by as unnoticed as I had hoped, but thankfully their theories went along the lines of contacts and an interrupted tryst between me and her. I almost burst out laughing in class.

Angela managed to rein her in during spanish, but she was no less curious. She was just more delicate with her questions. Which brings us to my current predicament of how should I lie. We were about to enter the cafeteria as Angela had asked me if there was anyone I was interested in. And while it was laughable that I could ever get in between the blond bombshell and her bodybuilder, such a thought made my mind envision forbidden fantasies.

Which I had to abandon quickly as I was painfully aware of the whole Cullen family sitting at their usual table. Including Edward. I did notice the table now sported an additional, unused, chair. Next to Alice. Bad mind. For shame!

Clearing my throat, I prepared the statement in my mind. ''I've only been here for a week, girls. That's hardly enough time to get to know anyone.'' The lie went by my lips effortlessly, and the disappointed looks on their faces told me they believed it. ''I'll see you later.'' I said, almost skipping towards the Cullen table.

I had elected to make lunch at home in the morning, seeing as how my appetite was getting to become somewhat of an issue. While I did have _some_ money, it was far from enough to cover food for very long. And right now I was feeling particularly ravenous, thinking about the sandwiches currently in my backpack.

''Hey guys. Thanks for getting me a seat.'' I said as I sat down. In the back of my mind, the cynical voice screamed about getting chummy with five freaking vampires at once, but I ignored it. It was sort of unnerving, knowing their natural food source was really everyone else in the room. Yet here they sat, pretending to eat. More like ripping their food into smaller pieces then tossing them at the end of lunch, but it seemed I was the only one to realize that.

Taking out my lunchbox, filled to the brim with goodness, I found they were all staring at me. Confused, I looked between them, trying to understand what the deal was. But I came up empty. ''I'm sorry, was the seat for someone else?'' I ask feeling embarrassed with the attention I was getting.

''No, it was for you. We were all just a little shocked with how untroubled you seem. It's strange for us to be approached so easily. Refreshing, I would even say.'' Rosalie responded with a kind smile. In the back of my mind I'm _watching_ Alice's reaction. A slight rise of the corner of her mouth at her sister's words. If she were to ask me the same question I asked her earlier, I would struggle to find a single thing. It was endearing me to her even more, that she didn't hog the conversation all the time.

''If only everyone else knew you're just softies, the lot of you.'' I joked, opening my lunchbox. Alice and Jasper chuckled, while Emmett looked outraged. He was about to speak when Rosalie nudged him in the ribs. As she got his attention, she shook her head slightly, and that seemed enough. He smiled to her, before kissing her hand affectionately.

''What's the most selfish thing you've ever done?'' Alice asked from beside me, drawing my attention. I gaped at her, shocked that she would ask such a thing with everyone here. Then again, she did warn me she wouldn't hold back.

''Really? You want to continue this here, you little imp?'' I said with a hint of a threat, to warn her that I wouldn't hold back either. Alice's grin didn't falter in the slightest, so I sighed in defeat and started thinking. What's the most selfish thing I'd done.

Recent events came to mind. Lying to my dad. Allying myself with vampires to survive. None of them were really selfish. Almost attacking Jacob. Almost killing Justin. Killing that one bird. There was more guilt in those. Leaving my mom to live here in Forks. That was somewhat selfish, though I had little choice in the matter. But it set me on the right path.

''Making my dad come down to Phoenix to visit when it was his turn to have me over.'' I answered bitterly, feeling bile in my throat. The table grew silent, and the smiles faded.

''Wow. That's low.'' Emmett said quietly. A low, humorless chuckle escaped me, as most of us looked deep in thought. Everyone but Edward, who was staring at me with scorn.

''Tell me about it. The first time I suggested it, it seemed like the logical choice. I hated Forks, and I didn't have to sit on an airplane alone for hours twice a year.'' I explained with a sigh, the self-loathing practically punching the air out of me. ''I never considered Charlie's feelings on the matter. And he never complained. Not to me at least. And then it just became the new normal as the years went.'' As I started to feel angry with myself, the alien feeling of Jasper's power trying to calm me enveloped me. But unlike yesterday, I let it in this time, knowing that if I get too angry I might expose us.

Taking a deep breath to clear the last motes of hate, I continue. ''Now that I think about it, it's possible one of the reasons I'm so protective of Charlie might lie in my guilt for how I've treated him.'' The table falls quiet for a spell, before Alice breaks it.

''How old were you? When you asked that the first time.'' Hearing her sad threatened to reignite the embers, so I clung to the calm that Jasper was pressing on me.

''I don't remember exactly, but I think I was nine or ten. Somewhere around there.'' I answered, clearing my throat and shoving another sandwich into my mouth. Noting the depressing mood that settled as I ate, I pressed to leave it. ''I believe that's two questions, imp.'' While it might be bad manners to speak with your mouth full, it did it's job.

''Damn, you caught me.'' Alice teased back with a dry chuckle. ''Then shoot. We gotta get this game moving again.''

And just like that it was in the past. I just hoped my honest answer would help them know me better. At the very least, I felt better for sharing it, even though it was hard.

''Let's see... Oh, this might be good for everyone, if you'd like to join in?'' I asked, getting nods from four of the five. Edward just up and left the room without a word. At least not one that I heard. ''Okay then. What's something you prefer to do the old-fashioned way?'' I felt really clever about that one, considering the time they've been around. But the looks I got back told me they've already spent enough time thinking about that one, as they started answering one by one.

''Sewing by hand.'' Alice said with a smile. Thinking about it, I should have seen it coming. Vampire reflexes probably came in handy doing that too. With how much time she must have had honing her skills, I imagine she's quite good.

''Chopping down trees with a proper axe. Not that there's much reason to bother with the axe anymore, now that I'm awesome!'' Emmett said with a grin, flexing his biceps. The answer seemed like a reflection of who he had been once. Looking at his physique, it wasn't actually that hard to consider him being a lumberjack in his human life.

''Using real elbow grease to fix up cars. Power-tools just make it boring.'' Rosalie responded, looking pointedly at me as she spoke. She probably got the response she was looking for as she started giggling at my double-take. The blonde bombshell was a mechanic?

''Seriously?'' I gaped, cutting Jasper off. He seemed to take it in good stride though, content to watch me make a fool of myself. ''Is she just messing with me?'' I asked Emmett, who just shook his head with a proud smile.

''What, is there something wrong with that?'' Rosalie challenged, and if not for the fact that I knew she expected my reaction, I think I'd have been scared I might have pissed her off.

''Hell no, more power to you for being proud of what you like to do. But it just kind of has to upset the cosmic balance, mixing so much hotness into just one person. Save some for the rest of us, would you?'' I lamented, making Emmett laugh loud enough for many in the room to take notice. I _saw_ Jess and Angela whispering to each other shortly after. Guess the interrogations wasn't over for today.

Alice harrumphed beside me, crossing her arms and frowning in displeasure. Why I couldn't tell, before she was so kind as to let me know. ''Sewing by hand is cool too!'' Her whole demeanor could be summed up into a simple word. Cute. Who knew vampires could pout?

''Sure it is, Tinker Bell. But it didn't really come as a surprise.'' I said, ruffling her short spiky hair with my left hand before I really thought about it. It was surprisingly soft compared to her unyielding skin.

While she didn't stop me from doing it, the pout never did stop either. It wasn't until I _saw_ Jasper's eyebrow raise questioningly that I pulled my hand back. The feeling of heat on my cheeks told everyone what I felt.

Jasper didn't comment on it however, instead choosing to answer the earlier question. ''I guess it's not really a thing I do anymore. More something I miss doing from when I was human. Ridin' horses.'' He says starting calmly, yet a twang of an accent came out just at the end, seemingly by mistake. He's strangely focused on a spot on the table, before he smiles briefly to himself. While riding horses was still something that was pretty common to this day, the _way_ he said it was off.

''Why would you not ride horses anymore?'' I asked, wanting to say something completely different. And I realized how stupid the question would be to a vampire. It would simply be useless. They could run faster than horses on foot.

''Unfortunately, animals seem to have better instincts than humans. Most tend to panic when they catch our scent.'' Jasper replied, his voice calm and collected again. ''That, and we kind of consider them food.'' He continued with a toothy smile.

''But you're in school, surrounded by your intended prey. And there are recorded instances of prey and predator getting along, if they grow up together.'' I press on, however fruitlessly it may be. ''So there's not really anything stopping you, other than taking some precautions. That and you'd have to own your own farm probably. So money might be an issue.'' By this point I'm just being obstinate.

''I mean, I know it would be purely novel experience for you. And I'm rambling about it. But if you miss riding so much, work for it damnit.'' I start to get self-conscious as they all just look at me as if I've grown a second head.

As I stuff my face with another sandwich, trying to look everywhere but into someone's eyes, I keep on muttering. ''If you want something, go for it. Don't wait for it to fall into your lap.'' I let my hair fall like a curtain around my face, in an attempt to hide.

Low chuckles start to emerge from the four other occupants, as they look between each other. ''You are right, of course. There's not really anything stopping me, apart from myself.'' Jasper responds kindly, flashing his teeth as he shows me a genuine smile. ''Perhaps I will try my hand at rearing a colt, in the future.''

''You really are strange.'' Alice cheers, as everyone continues tearing up their food some more. I was down to my last sandwich, but felt like I'd had enough for now, so I put it back into my backpack.

''I still have a question, imp.'' I teased as I straightened up in my chair, my mind racing to find a question one could ask a vampire. She just looked at me expectantly, almost as if she knew what I was going to ask next. Which could mean I wouldn't come up with anything original. And that made me redouble my effort to find something interesting. And while I found one that struck my fancy, I didn't want to ask that in front of her siblings. It might not be in everyone's best interest to know.

So I went for something safer. Funny how that worked. ''If you ruled a small country, what kind of weird laws would you enforce?'' I asked, and Alice didn't miss a beat to even pretended to think about it.

''I would make it illegal to make _small_ shopping centers. And there would be state-funded fashion shows. Hmm, what else... Maybe a holiday, dedicated to myself.'' She said very matter-of-factly, while daintily checking her nails for imperfections. Something told me her response might be an impersonation of someone, but I couldn't tell who, or when. There were low chuckles from the people at the table, which was either a confirmation, or this was just a very Alice thing to do.

''So. My turn.'' Alice continued with a cheshire grin that had the hairs on the back of my neck stand out. ''What single event has had the biggest impact on your life?''

And I just felt stumped. I could think of three things off of the top of my head to respond with, but none of them would warrant the look on Alice's face at the moment. They were just obvious. So I started thinking some more on it. Learning I had powers were certainly quite a shock, and it did feel like an important milestone in my life. But I don't know if it's had the biggest impact on my life. At least yet, my view on it might change in the future.

Meeting the Cullen's were also a bit of a turn around. And learning about vampires being real. And shape-shifters and werewolves. But they just seemed like small epiphanies compared to learning that I was not completely human myself.

Was there anything from before just this year that might qualify? My mom and dad splitting up, and moving down to Arizona? It did send me on a different path, surely. I couldn't even imagine what I would be like if I'd grown up here in Forks with Mike and Jessica and the rest. How different I would be, and act.

I don't even know if I would have my powers if we hadn't moved down there, but that might be the case. Rosalie thought it could be something that was inflicted on me, and it did first manifest itself in Phoenix. But it was just conjecture until I found proof.

The squeal of a chair being scraped along the floor brought me back out of my thoughts. I couldn't locate the source, but it did make me realize that all four other occupants of the table were staring at me, awaiting an answer. Alice's smile had turned from a creepy grin to a more comfortable happy one, which had me suspecting she was waiting for an answer that somehow stroked her ego.

But why would she ask such a question of me, that had so many easily apparent answers, if she wanted that? Was the response I was going to give been somehow obvious to her visions? Would I give her the answer she wanted just from the question, or because I believed that's what she wanted? Was I already so hopelessly lost to this little imp?

The cynical part of me reared it's ugly head, roaring in defiance. I would not be a simple plaything to anyone. I was my own person, damn it. Who does she think she is? Playing with my emotions like an accordion, to make herself feel better. I noticed her smile fall, and the monster in me grinned. That's right. You won't get what you want for nothing, you little she-devil.

Jasper turned in his seat to look at Alice, who seemed like she was staring through me. I'd wager it's her seeing another vision of what I would respond with. Then he turns to look at me with concern, and the beast stills. If Jasper reacted to her, that means her emotions must have shifted. And she had been happy a few moments ago, so was what I was going to say now going to hurt her? We were just making friends. I don't want to push her away. I don't want to make her hate me.

But I don't want to lie to make her feel better either. I want to get to know them as they truly are, not as some gilded representations of what they could be. And if that was going to happen, I would have to honest with them. To get where I want to be in the long term, instead of focusing on the short term.

The interaction we had that night when I figured out what they were came to mind. How Alice had reacted to me accusing them of being murderers. It was probably the one moment that decided where my future would end up, in regards to staying in Forks. As Alice had said at school the day after, if I had told Edward I knew, the situation would have become untenable. What would his response had been instead? What would my response to his reaction had been? Would I have left to live on my own?

It hit me that this might have been the answer Alice was hoping for. To get to feel good about making me change my mind about staying. About becoming their friend. And I guess I do owe her for that. I fear what would have happened to my parents if I hadn't. But I don't think that's what's been the single most important event in my life.

''I'm sorry.'' I said quietly, hoping Alice and Jasper would understand. Emmett looked between us with his silly grin slowly fading, still awaiting an answer. Clearing my throat, I gave it. ''The greatest change to the direction of my life, would probably have to be when my mom and dad split up.'' The mood turned somber around the table, and I noticed Alice's strained smile. It didn't reach her eyes this time.

It was Rosalie that broke the tension. ''It is unfortunately becoming quite the common occurrence in this day and age. But you seem to have matured into quite the capable woman, despite your hardships.'' Her tone was kind, yet I didn't know if I should feel offended by her words. It might have something to do with her being from a different times, because I believe she meant it as a compliment.

It also brought to the forefront of my mind that yes, they did grow up in a completely different time, when women didn't have the voice they do now. How strange it seems to me, that when they grew up, something as simple as getting a divorce was considered heinous in the eyes of god. And how strange it must be for them to see how that has changed.

''Thanks Rose.'' I said with a smile, which she returned. I looked to Alice, who seemed lost in thought. I wondered what she had seen me respond with, to have her draw back into herself like this. It made me hate myself that I did this, even though the cynical side of me insisted I actually didn't do anything. I felt a little conflicted about it considering it had all been in my mind, yet I knew that Alice could see me responding without me actually saying anything. I feel like I should apologize. But not here.

''Maybe we should continue our little game later Alice?'' I ask, trying to get her attention. To my dismay, she only responded with a nod.

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The rest of the day went by quickly. Edward still didn't respond to any of my attempts to start a conversation. Thankfully the subject of the lesson was interesting enough for me to ignore his brooding demeanor.

Mike did hunt me down as we went towards the last class of the day, gym. He was apparently as in my interactions with the Cullen's as Jessica, who also tracked us down on the way there. It was funny to see how nosy they both could be.

''Is there something going on between you, Emmett and Rosalie?'' Jessica managed to ask with a straight face. I burst into laughter imagining the kind of scenarios going on in her head. I laughed so hard that the sound of metal bars banging against each other in my backpack got their attention.

''What was that sound?'' Mike asked. And the laughter just died in my throat. I didn't really know how to explain to them that I had a supernatural science experiment going on in my backpack. Then again it was frankly none of their business.

''Oh it's nothing. And yes there is something going on between us Jess. We're becoming friends. Is that wrong?'' I ask, maybe with a tad more sarcasm that was needed. I was actually a little impressed with her. She pays more attention that I thought. Too bad she was just too into conspiracies to consider the simpler option. Then again, the rumors about the three of us had probably been simmering since my first day here. And today was the first time all three of us has been in a good mood at the same time. From an outsiders perspective at least.

''That's not what I meant.'' Jess protested as we entered the locker-rooms, leaving Mike. ''What I'm asking is if you three are a _thing_.'' She whispered, as we were not alone in here. I still couldn't suppress the smile at the thought.

''No. For your information, Rosalie and Emmett is the most solid couple I think I've met. And I genuinely like them both. I wouldn't dare try to get in their way.'' I said, possibly laying it on a little thick. I just hoped that she could disseminate that throughout the school so that particular rumor didn't become a thing.

''Then why was Emmett laughing at you as if you'd told the worlds funniest joke?'' Jess asked as she was stripping down. I made a conscious effort to shut down my second-sight at that point.

''Because he's a genuine and funny guy, once you get past the big, scary exterior. And I can't all the credit, it was Rosalie that set up the joke.'' I replied honestly, trying to focus on myself as I almost stumbled putting my shorts on. I heard her stop moving, so I looked over my shoulder at her.

She looked shocked, with her mouth hanging open and her sweater pressed half-way down her breasts. It was an oddly pleasing sight.

'' _Rosalie_ made a joke? Rosalie? The ice-queen of Forks? That Rosalie?'' Jess asked as she finally managed to come back to reality. I was a bit surprised to hear that, as I've never seen any reasons for why they would call her that. Then again, she was extremely pretty, which probably got a lot of attention in a school full of hormone-ridden teenagers. Her hating the attention after the first few kids got the nerve to ask her out, even with Emmett in the equation, was inevitable. So it would make sense to be harsh on those that dared, if only to stop even more from bothering her.

''She's kind when you don't try to hit on her.'' I said honestly, closing the locker and getting ready to leave. ' _Too much, anyway_ ' I think to myself, somehow managing to stop myself from blushing.

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 **AN: So as I believe I've stated before, I want this story to be more of a slow burn when it comes to Alice and Bella. But that doesn't mean I can't have fun with it. So here's a little omake of the cafeteria scene.**

THIS IS NOT CANON!

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\- Clearing my throat, I prepared the statement in my mind. ''I've only known Alice for a week. Fuck-waitwhatNO!'' The words tumbled out before I could think, and now it was too late. The looks of both Angela and Jessica were ones of shock and victory at my Freudian slip.

I could also _see_ that a lot of the kids in the cafeteria had turned to look at us after my outburst, the room quieting down. I tried not to use my second sight to see what was going on behind me at the Cullen table. I just wanted to run out of there, before they did anything.

That was, until I heard the sharp wolf-whistle from Emmett, before he started singing. ''Bella and Alice, sitting in a tree~'' Some of the student body even joined in, though it made the song die into a muddled mess, mixed with laughter.

I forced myself to turn around to actually look upon their table to see their reaction, and it surprised me. The beaming smile on Alice's face was practically glowing, though she was halfway towards me by now, going slightly faster than a human would. The rest of them, apart from Edward were grinning and cheering. Even Jasper looked happy, though that could be attributed to his empathy power being overwhelmed.

''Come here you minx!'' Alice growled huskily as she gently cradled my cheek and leaned into me, placing her soft, cold lips to mine. Wolf-whistles was heard from several places in the room, along with hollering and cheering. My second sight sputtered and failed at about the same time I started loosing feeling in my feet. I actually had time to muse to myself that I was loosing consciousness, but I disregarded it as I focused on the feeling of her cold tongue gliding over my lower lip. Then everything went black.

 **I'm thinking I might have to do this more. It's been along time since I've made fun little asides to my writing. It was surprisingly refreshing.**

 **I hope you enjoyed the chapter. If there is anything that was unclear or that you believed was off, please don't hesitate to tell me.**


	16. Small Confessions

**AN: So this chapter is barely over my stated minimum length, but as you've gotten several chapters twice as long recently, I think you'll all survive. Anyway, enjoy!**

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 **Deadly Affection – Reimagined**

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of it's characters. I just play around with them.

 **Chapter 16: Small Confessions**

 **Bella PoV**

I was staring at my phone as the screen turned black for the umpteenth time. My mind was just running blanks for what I was going to say. The faint sounds of the TV downstairs was the only distraction that my mind knew to try to stop thinking too much about what I wanted to say. The wind whistling gently through the trees outside had already become so familiar that I barely paid attention to it anymore.

I unlocked my phone again and resumed staring at her contact info. Why had she seemed so distraught at lunch? It wasn't as if I was going to chew her out, right? It felt... off. Like the response I thought up, didn't deserve such a reaction from her. Unless there was something else there. I mean, I could understand it if she was into me. But that would just be ridiculous. She had Jasper.

Then again, she did like to tease me whenever she found the opportunity. But that was just who she was, right? Maybe it was because of the way I responded to her at times. When I was overtly, and awkwardly, flirting with her, she thought that was just the way I behaved? So she tried to respond in kind. Trying to match my rhythm. That still doesn't explain the reaction however.

Unless she thought in a roundabout way that I was genuinely angry with her, for trying to play along. But then I'd have to be a raging potato for flirting with her in the first place. Why do people have to be so damn perplexing?

Once again, the screen turned dark in my hands. I wonder what she thought I was doing, if she was looking at me with her visions now. Would she be annoyed with me for being so undetermined? She was probably being bombarded with visions of me changing my mind of what I would say. If she bothered to even look, after how I screwed up earlier. The fact that she hasn't called, or even sent a text, might suggest she doesn't care. Or she was trying to give me time to make up my mind. Arrrgh, I'm making this way to complicated.

A flare of anger finally brought me out of my funk, and I unlocked my phone yet again. This time I hit call though, so that was an improvement. As I put the phone to my ear and heard it ring, I got nervous again. I still had no idea what the hell I was going to say. It vanished with a sigh as she picked up.

''Hey Bella!'' Alice said, sounding as chipper as ever. If I was an overexcited teen, I might have said my heart skipped a beat. Then again, I sort of am. But I knew there was a small hurdle to overcome before we could go back to happy ever after. Leaving little irritations festering wasn't something I was interested in doing.

''Hello Alice.'' I replied, not being quite as joyful as her. I think I heard Emmett in the background, before the sound of the microphone rubbing against clothes. ''Is this a bad time?'' I asked when it stopped.

''No, it's fine. Just had to get out of the house.'' Alice said, and this time the tone was completely different. More serious than I think I've heard her be. Was she hiding this from her family? Did I upset her that much? It made my stomach turn into knots imagining.

''I'm sorry.'' I blurted out, starting to get kind of worried. ''I-..'' I started, before swallowing to relieve the pressure in my throat. I tried again. ''Could we meet? I think it would be best if we had this conversation in person.''

I heard Alice hum for a second, thinking it over. Probably checking what I had decided to say. Sucks that I haven't got a fucking clue myself though. Would it be cheating to ask her to tell me what I was going to say? What would the laws of nature have to say about that I wondered briefly. If free will isn't completely true, is it possible our perception of what makes time-travel supposedly impossible, is flawed? Could she actually tell me what I would say before I knew it myself?

Sheesh, Alice was taking a long time to respond. Was she deliberately _trying_ to make me overthink this?

''Yes.'' Alice answered. That was it. Yes. If I wasn't lying in my bed, I think I might have had an accident. ''Go to the clearing you trained in, I'll be there before long. Ohh and Emmett wanted me to remind you of the rods he gave you.''

Oh right, those. Wait, when did he tell her that?

You know what, I'm not even gonna go there. I've been overthinking things too much today as it is.

''Sure. See you in a bit.'' I replied, and curtly hung up the phone. I was more focused on trying to figure out how to apologize, if that is even what I wanted to do. That cynical part of me was piping up rather loudly, what it thought about thoughts being something to apologize for.

Pocketing my phone, I got up from bed and prepared to head out. I put on my jacket up in my room, and stuffed the metal rods up the sleeve of my right arm to hide them from Charlie. With everything odd going on, there really wasn't much good that could come from him seeing that. And then I headed downstairs.

I wasn't sure how Alice would choose to travel, though my guess would be on foot, as a parked car could be used as evidence to tie her down to being in one spot. Where something nefarious, if spotted by the wrong people, was about to go down. How fast would she be able to run here, I wonder. It took almost twenty minutes by car, but with how fast a vampire could move, and how much more direct the route could be, she could probably beat me to the clearing.

''I'm going out.'' I announced as I reached the bottom of the stairs. I felt my gaze locking in on the door as I walked. I didn't want to have to lie to Charlie again.

''Sure Bella. Be careful.'' Charlie responded without looking my way. The apathy of his words made me flinch, knowing I had no one to blame but myself for that. The distant tone he had used since Billy was here was really starting to worry me. And he hadn't really been talkative at dinner either. I would have to talk to him about what that old coot had said at a later date, but right now I had more urgent matters to attend.

''I will.'' I said quietly, mostly to myself as I walked out the door. Thoughts were buzzing in my mind as I walked up into the forest. Should I take her ability into account to the reality of our situation? Does the fact that she can see what I intend to say, even if I change my mind before I say it, trump the fact that I didn't actually say it? Is the fact that she can see it enough to make it real?

Or is it something that she should just have to learn to live with? Even thinking that made me grow frustrated with myself. Yes, it was something unique to her, but that doesn't mean it wasn't real to her. I just had to learn to not _decide_ to speak what I'm thinking immediately. Perhaps that could also help me learn to control my recent bout of brazen decisions, like how I handled the shifters. Which only really worked out in the end, thanks to a certain pixie.

And I found her sitting with her legs crossed on the rock like last time, with her back to me. I could _see_ that she smiled briefly as I sat down in the crater that I made back then. She didn't make a move, or even a sound, as I did.

''So...'' I started, trying desperately to get my mind to work with me here. I knew what I had to do, but I still had no idea how. Maybe it was a little bit too quick for this meeting.

''Yes.'' Alice responded, without the open ending hanging in the air. ''I'm sorry.'' She continued with a huff, bending down to rest her elbows on her knees, her chin leaning on folded hands. I was confused as to the turn-around, but before I got to voice it, she continued.

''I've seen you beating yourself up about it, even though you did nothing wrong.'' There was a sadness to her tone as she spoke that made me flinch. ''I've had to deal with this at times, with my curse being what it is. It's not right that you have to feel guilty for something you didn't say.''

It seems I was still underestimating this little pixie. I really must be naive. ''I didn't, that is true. But I was still so prepared to be nasty to you, for simply asking me a question. So much so, that you could see it.'' I said quietly, nervously fiddling with the cuff of my jacket. ''I didn't say it out loud, but it was still real to you. And because of that, I feel guilty. So, I'm sorry.''

The wind whistling through the treetops was only interrupted once Alice started laughing. The clear, chime like tone being depreciated by the fact that her smile didn't reach her eyes. It was fake, which was underpinned by the abrupt end of her laugh.

''Well I suppose that means we're at sort of an impasse. I don't want to make you feel like you can't think critically of me, or my whole family for that matter. I know how it feels like having to watch what you're thinking. And I don't want to make you feel like you have to do that around me.'' Alice said in a quiet response. Her gaze was drawn up, as the stars started to make their presence known in night sky. I felt stupid for not realizing just how constricting that must feel.

''Thanks.'' I replied, not really sure how to respond to that. It was nice to know where she stood on the matter at least. ''I will try to make an effort not to... decide, to be an asshat with every whim.'' I almost wanted to say that I blame the mental effects of whatever was happening to me. But I didn't want to make it seem like I was just making excuses. That, and I still didn't want her to know how fucked up my mind was. Which is what actually got me into this mess to begin with, so that hope can probably take a running leap off a cliff.

''Just out of curiosity, what _did_ you see me tell you?'' I asked after a few seconds of silence. Her brows furrowing in confusion made me elaborate quickly. ''It's just that, you seemed to react so negatively. And I don't remember much apart from this unnatural anger of mine.'' Alice seemed to draw into herself as I spoke. I felt troubled as I saw the her flinch from remembering whatever it was. What the hell could I have said to illicit that from her even now? I felt a burning pressure in my chest as I grew angry with myself for causing this.

''I think it would be best to forget it.'' Alice answered a little too quickly for my liking. She knew I would ask. And that meant pushing it wouldn't be any good. Which also told me something about how bad it was. That only served to make me even more concerned.

''Surely you can see the loop this puts us in?'' I replied, and got a soft sigh as an immediate response. She folded her hands in front of her, and starting fidgeting. If I didn't know she was a bad-ass vampire, I think I could have mistaken her for being vulnerable in that moment. To my surprise, the cynical part of me didn't refute that thought. In fact, it was oddly quiet in my mind right now. Other than the dread at getting to know what Alice had seen me say.

''Let's just say it went along the lines of me being a pretentious little-person, that had no right to meddle in your life. In not as nice a wording.'' Alice said after deliberating for a few more seconds. I felt a pit in my stomach gnawing as the immediate shock of it wore off. And it didn't get better as I realized how censored that probably was.

''Please. I need to know every word.'' I pleaded, desperate to know what it was so I could take it back. Or at least apologize. I felt my muscles lock up as I tensed at the edge of the rock I was sitting on.

''You better think again, if you believe I'm here for your pleasure you fucking midget. Clairvoyant or not, don't pretend to understand my motivations.'' Alice intoned, and I could imagine hearing myself say the words. I shot up from my seat and turned to look at her back. She was frozen in place, still as a statue.

''I'm so fucking sorry! Crap, how could I even think of saying that? What the fuck is wrong with me.'' I most likely shouted as I paced from side to side, feeling the gnawing in my stomach grow more and more painful. ''I don't think of you as a midget! I mean, yeah, you're a little short, but I don't think any less of you for that. I wouldn't have you any other way!'' I blurted out as a pressure was building in the back of my mind. It didn't feel the same as it used to. It was just a cold, steady pressure compared to the tingling heat I usually felt.

''And you've probably already saved my life with the shifters, and I owe you for that. So who am I to think you can't have a say in my life.'' It sort of clicked for me in my mind, that what I had thought of as my cynical 'side' was nothing more than my base impulses. My own 'beast', as Rosalie put it. ''Please, you have to believe me.'' I begged quietly, my feet stopping as I looked at Alice.

I saw her tilt her head to the side, her eyes flicking around the forest floor. Maybe she was considering something, or remembering, but I couldn't tell. All I know is she did that for a while before she voiced a response.

''I know this is all so sudden for you. Maybe I shouldn't be so forward with you. Let you have some space to grow into this whole thing.'' Alice said, and once again left me a little stumped. I was trying to apologize, so what was this about? How would taking things slower help with this? Had they been any slower, the shifters would have taken chunks out of me. Or was she thinking of our friendship?

Alice startled me as she stood up and looked in my direction with a small smile. ''I do believe you Bella.'' She assured me, before looking to the ground. She seemed... Pleased? And perhaps guilty. She had seen this play out as well. And most of my responses were reactionary, so she wouldn't have had a hard time of it. Yet she let it play out.

I felt my cheeks blush from embarrassment at being played again. And while I felt a little indignant about it, I had caused this. ''Did it at least help ease your worries?'' I asked her with a teasing smile. She had the decency to look sheepish, before we both burst out into giggles. I got a little worried as the new cold pressure started spreading out to my extremities, but it wasn't as great as to pop my cloak, so I disregarded it.

''Seriously though. No takesie-backsies. We're best friends now, so deal with it.'' I said, putting my hands to my hips to display my stubbornness on the matter. I earned a crushing hug from the tiny imp before she started spinning us around in circles while laughing. It was still kinda off-putting to see her strength in action, but I supposed that would fade over time.

Just as I started getting dizzy from being spun around by the cute vampire, she put me back down to the ground. I noticed her pupils were more dilated than usual again. Must be the proximity to a source of blood.

''Wouldn't dream of it.'' Alice said with a brilliant smile. ''So, now that the hard part's over. What do you want to do?'' She asked with a genuine smile.

''Well... I do believe it's my turn to ask a question?'' I asked her tentatively, not sure if she wanted to continue our little game. Now that we were alone, it seemed like a good time for the question I thought up earlier. Though I felt a little hesitation, as it was quite personal. Her expression became marred by a frown, before she sighed.

''I see. You are correct to assume that I usually put on a front for my family. Stuff gets boring when you know someone for so long, that you know how they will react to most situations. That, and my visions just compound the issue, I guess.'' Alice explained, her eyes locking with mine. I didn't see any resentment in her honey colored eyes, only patient understanding. ''I usually try to make a game out of it. See if I can make them surprise me with their reactions. Though I haven't had to do that since you showed up.'' Her smile returned with a force that made me look away.

Somewhere deep in my gut an unfamiliar feeling bloomed. I was happy, but it was more than that. I tried to focus more on it, to understand it. Only for my stomach to groan loudly, to which I looked horrified back at Alice, who only proceeded to laugh into the evening sky.

''How is that even possible. I just ate!'' I bemoaned as I buried my face into my hands, trying to hide my blush. It felt like I could eat dinner over again. What is this thing doing to me? I didn't even spend any energy. It could barely be called a short hike to get here.

''See, _that_ is why we're the best of friends. You never cease to surprise me!'' Alice said with joy. There was no anger in me this time, unlike the last. I guess knowing that I bring some relief to her existence helped in that.

''So, my turn to ask.'' Alice said as I looked back up to her. For a few seconds she seemed to deliberate on something, biting her lower lip. ''With everything that's changed for you, and with how it turned out with my family. What's the thing you are most concerned for in the future?'' Her question surprised me, as it was not something I had considered yet.

There was no immediate plan, other than finish school here in Forks. I hadn't really thought of it further, which scared me. Again, her eyes showed patience. Perhaps some eagerness, if I wasn't mistaken. And it made me want to be as open with her as she was with me.

''Well I haven't made any plans. Since this thing started, it's just been one hit after another. I've been too focused on making it through the moment to figure out where I want to go.'' I started rambling, but I denied myself the embarrassment from knowing that I was doing that. Better get it all out first. ''I don't know if I can ever live a normal life, once school is finished. If I'm even able to hide my abilities, out there in the human world.'' At this point I was mostly just thinking out loud, when Alice's quiet laughter interrupted me.

''I'm sorry. I guess I didn't word my question properly. I meant more along the lines of; what do you fear the most?'' Alice hastily explained. The Swan curse struck again as I felt heat blooming in my face. How could I... You know what, fuck it. Honest mistake. Moving on.

''Why do you torment me so?'' I asked with a sigh. ''So. What do I fear. Well there's the shifters, they don't seem that nice.'' I considered adding something about vampires eating my ass, but that joke probably wouldn't go over well right now. Then I found my answer in what I didn't actually want her to know. But I wanted to open. Genuine. I blame hundred year old role models.

''I think what I fear the most, is what this power is doing to me. The things I can't see.'' I answered. It made the mood turn somber as Alice just hummed in response, her eyes flitting around the clearing. It would no doubt be the point of future questions, but not right now.

''Hey, you want to test those rods Emmett gave you?'' Alice said, effectively changing the subject. I would have to remember that it was my turn to ask a question for later.

I ended up having to take off my jacket to get them out. Feeling out my reserves, and taking a quick note of my current state of mind, I figured I could probably try to do what Emmett asked. So instead of getting undressed, I just rolled up my sweater to my elbow.

''What, no show today?'' Alice asked with a smirk. It was obviously a joke, but still I felt my cheeks heat up. I just shook my head while laughing it off. ''Aww, shucks.'' She said, doing her best to look like she was pouting. It just made me blush harder.

I placed two of the rods on my jacket as I held the last one in my left hand. Electing to keep my second sight off to reduce distractions, I tried to focus solely on letting my cloak appear in a single place. It felt odd at first. Like a solid stream of calm, yet persistent force pushing through every nerve in my body, slowly moving towards my left palm.

As it moved, I felt strength even greater than what I think was usual, pulse in the affected muscles. And when it reached my palm, the metal made some weird squeaking noise. But try as I might, my cloak didn't flare up. It almost felt like I didn't reach the limit to force the cloak to appear.

The sound of a sharp intake of air from Alice drew my attention, and I saw her eyes flutter briefly. It even looked like she almost stumbled, as she took half a step towards me. Did she have a vision of something? Were we in danger?

''Alice? Is everything alright?'' I asked her urgently, but she did not respond. It took a few seconds before she straightened up and looked at me though hooded eyes. To my shock there was barely even a hint of honey at the very edge of her iris, the pupils being extremely dilated.

Her jaw clenched tightly, before she looked away. Having let my senses flood the area to look for threats, I noticed she had stopped breathing. ''It's nothing. Keep going.'' Alice said through gritted teeth. Her body stilled completely, making her look like a fancy statue placed randomly in the forest. I wonder what she must have seen for her to have this reaction? But I figured she wouldn't want to talk about it, so I ignored the odd occurrence. We weren't in any immediate danger as far as I could tell, but I still chose to keep my second sight active going forwards.

The odd feeling had disappeared, replaced by the normal rush of energy tingling down my spine, and into my hand. In an attempt to copy the effects of the first time I tried this, I started chanting _'destroy'_ in my mind. To my great delight, it worked this time. The cloak emerged like smoke from just below my wrist, engulfing my hand and part of the rod. I could immediately see pockmarks appear in the metal, and before long it was absolutely covered in them. It was fascinating to see the metal just... degrade at such a rapid pace.

Sucking the cloak back into my body, with some effort, I placed it down on my jacket. That's when I noticed indentations that matched my grip, effectively making a mold of my hand. That was odd. I don't think I gripped it that tightly. Perhaps I underestimated the durability of the rod.

Alice picked up the rod from my jacket and looked at it without a word. And then she just walked away from me a few steps, staring intently at the object. What surprised me more was that she brought it up to her face and seemed to smell it. I swear that little imp would remain a mystery to me to the day I bite the dust. Whatever. I had more rods to test out.

I briefly noted to myself how different I was thinking in the moment, before disregarding that as well.

The second try I barely had to think the word in my mind, before the cloak reappeared around my left fist, and the darker metal that was in my hand reacted much in the same way as the first. The only difference was that this survived a little longer before it was completely covered. Maybe as long as fifteen seconds compared the the first one that took five. I also noted a lack of indentations in this rod as I placed it down, so it seemed to have that advantage as well.

I picked up the last one that looked more like the proper steel color that I imagined when picturing metal. At least compared to the first one that looked shiny, like chrome. And this time the cloak surrounded my hand as soon as I had cleared my jacket. I actually had to jerk my hand away from it to avoid singing it.

It seemed like we'd found a winner, as the pockmarks didn't even start appearing until after the first almost twenty seconds. Even holding it for a minute straight, it wasn't halfway to covered in them, like the others. Just for fun, I tried to grip it a little tighter than last time. There was no sign of damage from that as I powered back down and put on my jacket again.

Alice seemed to have figured out whatever it was that had occupied her, as she walked back to me. I held the rods out to her, one in each hand, and indicated to the one that had the least damage. ''This one seems to hold up the best.'' I told her, giving both to her.

She took them without issue and placed them in her pocket, before locking eyes with me again. Her pupils still weren't down to their regular size, but it seemed to be getting there. Perhaps she had a vision of her family out hunting something? Who knows.

''I'll tell Emmett when I get home. I have to go though, something's come up.'' Alice said and I immediately felt a little annoyed, knowing she was hiding something. Maybe it had something to do with the shifters, but even then, why not tell me?

''Sure thing. See you at school tomorrow?'' I asked, doing my best to hide my disappointment with cutting our time short. It didn't seem to work, as she gave me an apologetic smile in return.

''I'll be the first face you'll see.'' She answered, tapping her temple. Then she waved her goodbyes before she ran out of the clearing at vampire speeds, barely even a blur to my non-powered eyes.

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Alice was true to her word, as she stood by the entrance to the parking lot the next morning, waving like a crazy person as I entered. I was not above admitting to the fact that it kind of made my day. That, and the way she skipped over to my car with a huge smile on her face, the honey colored eyes shining as bright as ever.

After a silly greeting and a blush on my part, we resumed with the questions. She even tried to ask one first, though I reminded her it was my turn. The classes seemed to fly by, as I was thinking more about what to ask her next, than I did on the subjects in question. Lunch was a high point, as everyone at the table participated in some broader questions. Though that was probably only because Edward didn't show up. He was still in class after lunch, but he didn't reply to any of my prods this time either.

The rest of the week went mostly like that, and while some part of me regretted pushing the humans away as much as I did, I still tried to be cordial with them. Jessica didn't like that much though, and took to ignoring me as much as she could. Thankfully Angela wasn't like that.

As the weekend approached, I had to turn down offers to hang out at the Cullen mansion. I still felt a little apprehensive about going over there when Edward acted the way he did. And even though Alice probably knew I was overexaggerating when I claimed to want to hang out with Charlie, she didn't make a fuzz about it.

Dad seemed to relax some more as I spent some time with him, suffering through a whole match one evening. He didn't share what he and Billy had talked about when I gently prodded him on the matter, but I guess that was to be expected. He was probably still upset about the whole thing.

I also spent some time trying to control how my cloak emerged up in my clearing. A few hours of forcing it to appear mid-punch or kick, and a whole lot of broken bones later, I felt somewhat confident about it. At least that I could control it enough to not ruin _all_ my clothes if I got jumped by Rosalie again.

Audrey seemed a little reserved when I called her in the evening. Though that was probably because I was shutting down most of the conversations that involved the vampires that now permeated most everything in my daily life. She did tell me that there was someone that caught her attention recently, but wouldn't divulge any specifics on whoever that person was. Followed by a very sudden goodbye. She didn't even wait for me to respond before she shut off the call.

When monday came I resumed barraging Alice with questions, though by now they had devolved into the more generic ones. She made no mention of it, as she played along with similar ones herself. One thing did change that day, as Edwards was suddenly present at lunch again. He didn't answer any questions, but still, it was an improvement. And by wednesday he even acknowledged my existence in biology. Though that was probably because we had a project that required two people, and he didn't want to bother with any humans.

I joked with him regarding that, which got a brief chuckle out of him. That's when he started opening up again, slowly.

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 **AN: I'm sorry if this feels rushed at parts. I struggled with some of it, and I've had several things on my mind the last few weeks. Still, I hope you all enjoyed it!**


	17. Going Shopping

**AN: So I ended up being a few days late again this time. I'm sorry. I do hope you enjoy reading though :)**

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 **Deadly Affection – Reimagined**

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of it's characters. I just play around with them.

 **Chapter 17: Going Shopping**

 **Bella PoV**

The beeping of the alarm started moments after I had opened my eyes in the dark room. I turned it off in a hurry, hoping to not wake Charlie. The screen illuminating my room, and telling me it was five-fifteen am. I turned it off, and used my second sight to navigate my way to the chair where I had put my sweats before bed yesterday.

It was about time for me to resume my morning regimen again, having slacked off for several weeks now. And while it was still technically below zero degrees outside, my powers negated that excuse. So without fuzz, I got dressed, put in my earpieces, and snuck outside.

Breathing in deeply, a part of me missed the arid air of the desert. Though the scents of the forest weren't bad either. It felt cleaner, in a way.

I took to jogging up the road, intent on checking out the trail into the forest I had seen earlier in the week. As I was running, I noted a few of the houses on the other side having the outdoor lights on, giving off an eerie glow in the mist. Stopping, I took out my earbuds and listened to the silence, looking down further towards the town, where more lights were scattered. Only to be surrounded by the darkness of tall trees all around. I don't really know why, but it made me smile.

It just felt... peaceful.

But I had something to do, so I had to move on. I increased my pace slightly as I ran up an incline, feeling my legs burn with exertion. I was breathing heavily, but I refused to stop. Instead I let my powers wash through my body, and the burning faded shortly after. I was sort of disappointed that it didn't magically fix my breathing issues, but I shouldn't complain.

I was anxious to test out what it was like running as fast as I could through the forest. Or as fast as I could get without popping my cloak. I didn't want to risk anyone seeing a glowing red light zipping through the forest at this time in the morning. No matter how dense the vegetation is, I wasn't about to test my luck.

Having finally reached the trail, I took a second to look around with my second sight. Finding there was no one around, I headed in between the large trees. It felt even darker in here, though I had little issue between how well I could see in the dark, and my second sight.

Pushing my power into my legs, I started making greater strides with each time I touched the forest floor. And I poured it on, more and more, feeling the joy as trees whipped past me on both sides. I was pretty sure I was giggling as I went.

The path was only wide enough for a couple of people to walk side by side. And it didn't seem to be frequented all that much, by the amount of vegetation still on the path. But it didn't matter to me as I flew past.

I was getting a feel for my increased weight, using the moment of my arms to swing into the next step. Then suddenly I felt a gnawing hunger in my stomach. I stumbled from surprise, before I righted myself and used a few steps to manage to stop.

I felt the burning from before resume, this time much more intensely. And it wasn't just in my legs, it was all over. In a panic, I tried to cloak up, only to find I couldn't. I was running on empty. Literally.

It hurt to move, but I made my way towards the closest tree and placed my palm to it. The rush of energy subdued the burning in my muscles, as it spread throughout my body. How could I have not felt that coming? Had I not been paying attention?

There hadn't been any indicators that I was aware of. My extra-sensory vision had not diminished in range, nor did it feel like I was becoming weaker at any point. But both were tied to my powers, so why didn't they?

Before I could contemplate any further, a silvery figure entered my range. The brief surge of fear was quelled when I recognized the tall form of Rosalie. She was running parallel with the trail I was on, though she immediately followed it when she got there. Probably caught my scent, by the looks of it.

I became very aware of my breathing as I gulped in air in abundance. It didn't really bother me, other than the fact that I would probably be self-conscious of it when the model that was Rosalie would catch up to me without even needing to breathe. That was one of the more freaky things Alice had confirmed for me this week. They didn't need air, like at all. It still boggled my mind.

''Hey Rose!'' I called out just as she was about to catch up to me, pulling my earbuds out and pausing the music. She rolled with it, stopping a few meters away from me, a smirk adorning her perfect form. Like I had predicted, the blush of embarrassment struck. Although that could be attributed to the fact that a gorgeous blonde was looking down on me with what could only be called sex eyes. She even bit her lower lip for good measure.

It hadn't been long before she picked up on my fascination with her sister, though she hadn't actually voiced it. She had just taken to teasing me, using little looks to try to dazzle me from time to time. And now we were alone. In the forest. At night. What would her boyfriend think, I wonder.

''So, what's got you so riled up this time of night?'' Her silky voice called out, leaning against a tree opposite me. Damn her legs were long. I gulped as I realized I was staring, grabbing onto the tree I had drained for balance, desperately looking anywhere but at her. It didn't help that I could see her lips curl up with mirth through my second sight either way, making me blush harder.

''Riled up? What, me? I was just out for a run.'' I blurt out, making a complete fool of myself. Of course she knew I was out here. Alice would have probably called to get her to look for me. But then why didn't she just call me instead? I took out my phone briefly to see if I had any missed calls, but there were none. Then why?

''You're breathing like you've run a marathon. What are you doing this far out of town anyway?'' She asked, and it wasn't before now that I noticed how dilated her eyes were. A spike of fear rushed through me as I remembered Alice saying how easy it was for them to give in when they were out hunting. I tried to stay casual, though I started draining the tree I was holding onto just in case I needed to be ready for a fight.

''Yeah, I was trying to see how fast I could run using my power. It doesn't seem to stop me from needing air, unfortunately.'' I joked, subtly spreading my weight evenly in a wide stance. She tilted her head to the side, looking me over.

''What are you doing?'' Rosalie asked in a confused tone, pointing to my feet. ''I'm not going to attack you. Actually, I find it kind of insulting that you would even think that.'' She continued, crossing her arms with a frown.

''We're in the middle of nowhere, in almost complete darkness, and you were out hunting from the looks of things.'' I accused, stopping the drain, but remaining vigilant. For a tense second we held eye contact, before she huffed in defeat.

''Yeah okay, you got a point. For future reference, other than Carlisle, I probably have the best control of my family. So please don't think so little of me.'' She said with an air of pride. It was just too easy to mess with.

Honestly, I blame Alice.

''What about when you almost massacred everyone in the parking lot a few weeks ago?'' I teased, and straight out laughed when her face fell. Oh, if only I had a camera! I would even settle for a perfect memory, like they had. But alas.

''That-.. You-... I don't think I like you anymore.'' Rosalie said, flustered. But she didn't just leave, which meant she wasn't that mad. I was sure to get some kind of retaliation for this in the future, but why worry about that now. ''By the way, the gear Emmett ordered came yesterday. Perhaps you can come over this weekend to try them out?'' She asked, no traces of resentment to be heard. I felt some pride for the fact that she didn't feel the need to be so defensive around me. I couldn't help the smile, despite my annoyance of Emmett's blatant disregard for my opinion.

''I told your man that I would buy those, when I got a job.'' I huffed, crossing my arms. Really, did he have no sense of shame? I guess the way Rosalie just shrugged her shoulders was about as accurate an answer I could get.

''So, were you done hunting for the night?'' I ask after I sighed in frustration. Her eyes are pretty much back to normal now, which told me there's an element of intent involved in that particular trait.

''Pretty much, yeah. Do you know how far from Forks we are?'' Rosalie asked in return. I tried to spy any landmarks with my second sight, or through the treetops, but found none. ''Figured as much. We're deep in the Olympic national park. Do you think you'll get back on your own in time for school?''

''I can run pretty fast, you know.'' I say, feeling the hairs on my neck bristle at the insulting idea that I would need help to get home. Then again, different era. Maybe she was just asking politely, in a roundabout sort of way. I pulled my phone up to check the time, only to be surprised to see that it was nearly six in the morning. I thought I'd only been out here for about fifteen minutes.

''I don't, actually. Care to show me?'' Rosalie asked with a crooked smile. The frustration I felt from her aloof tone ignited the monster in me. I was going to wipe that smirk of her pretty little face. I noticed her flinch ever so slightly as I felt my eyes start to glow red.

''Let's race.'' I growled back, pulling up my sleeves and absorbing as much energy as I could store, with my cloak covering my forearms.

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I had lost. What's worse, Rosalie wasn't even taking it serious. She was merely playing with me, running backwards at points to let me catch up with her. It was infuriating! The beast in me wanted to throw caution to the wind and cloak up fully. But I managed to reign it in, as the sun was just starting to show inklings of it's presence, just under the horizon.

To her credit, Rosalie didn't gloat with her victory. She even complimented me for my ability to not run head-first into a tree. I didn't really know what to feel about that. But she was smiling broadly as we parted where the trail started, so at least she was happy.

Charlie was up when I got home, and to say he was surprised when I entered the front door was an understatement. He practically jumped in his chair, spitting food everywhere as he scrambled for his weapon. Perhaps I should have told him I was going to go for a morning run.

''It's just me dad, calm down!'' I say calmly as I close the door. Then I froze for a hot second as I considered what reason I would have, to say that as I entered the house. Charlie doesn't know I can see through walls. Hopefully, he doesn't think of that.

''Jesus, Bella! Are you trying to give your old man a heart attack?!'' Charlie barked as he fell back into his chair with a thud. I rounded the corner to see him looking to the ceiling and muttering something under his breath.

''Sorry. I guess I should have warned you beforehand, I usually like to get some running in before school. Just hadn't gotten to it yet, with everything that's been going on.'' I said while leaning against the doorframe. I took notice of the heavy bags under his eyes as he looked to me. Was he having trouble sleeping?

''It's okay. Just... I don't know, leave your door open or something, so I know you're up.'' He said as he started to pick up the food he had spilled. Feeling a little guilty about it, I got a cloth and helped him, before heading upstairs.

I didn't really feel it until I turned on the shower, but my skin was freezing cold. It felt strange, almost like it was numb, until the warm water washed over me and made it sting from the temperature difference. Perhaps I wasn't as resistant to the cold as I had imagined?

It faded quickly, as I plugged the drain and settled in for a long soak. While I was waiting, I fished out my phone and turned on some quiet music in the background. Only thing missing was scent candles. I'd have to buy those in the future.

I contemplated the fact that the world was filled with vampires that didn't feel any remorse for taking human lives. Surely, someone must have noticed a pattern in the disappearances. Or bodies found with little to no blood spilled. If a whole host of them hid themselves away in one of their cities, someone must have noticed an increase in deaths in the surrounding areas. Found it odd that one city in the center was untouched by all the misery. Sure, most humans wouldn't think twice on it. But there must be someone with the ability to connect the dots, with the right connections? That the Volturi had gotten away with it for centuries, would imply they had people covering up for them.

A chill ran down my spine, considering the lengths those people would have to go to, in order to protect their overlords. The fates of the people that only wanted to protect their fellow humans. The injustice they must have suffered.

I jerked up rapidly, spraying water everywhere, feeling like my cloak was about to burst at any moment. Forcing the feeling down, I huffed at my lapse of thinking. I was _in_ water. That could in no way have been fun.

Looking at my phone, I saw that I was starting to get short on time. So I pulled the plug and stood up, finishing with a shower to rinse everything off.

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''So what are you up to this weekend?'' Alice asked, having tried to sneak up behind me as I was getting the books from my locker. Not that it worked, thanks to my awesome powers. Though I might just let her do it one of these days, so she'd stop.

As I turned around to answer her question, my mind sort of froze. When I had turned, Alice had leaned in closer. There was a playful smirk on her lips, that were so close I could feel her breath on my skin. Her golden eyes were boring into mine with an intensity that felt paralyzing. It made a chill run down my spine, which caused me to shiver.

Alice backed away after that, seemingly brought out of a funk as she shook her head from side to side. When she looked back up at me, I noticed her eyes were dilated again. Why does that keep happening? She hadn't reacted like that the first couple of times we'd been close. Nor when she'd seen me cloaked up. Somehow I managed to ignore the embarrassment which would only make me blush like a tomato. Didn't want Alice to have a win so easily.

''I don't really have many plans at the moment. Though I guess, since you didn't bother to say hello first, you have made them for me?'' I said in a deadpan, only to see Alice light up like a million watts. Did she not understand my sarcasm?

''Great! I'll pick you up at seven, that way we'll be in Port Angeles just as the shops start opening.'' Alice more or less sang, jumping up and down with excitement. How I had feared the day when she would finally cash in on that favor, and now it was upon me. I guess I should count myself lucky I only have to dread the outcome for a single day.

''Fine, but only if Rosalie joins us.'' I countered, hoping to get a small buffer to stop me from making a complete fool of myself. Oh who was I kidding. I was just going to have a bigger audience.

''Does she have to?'' Alice pouted, playing with a lock of my hair. The heat from where her cold finger had touched my bare skin was really distracting. A cold draft of air coming through the corridor brought with it the scent of Alice. Tantalizingly familiar, yet unique.

I had to blink a few times, and clear my throat before I managed to respond. The side of Alice's smile curved up when I did. ''Yes.'' I didn't manage to bring up more brainpower to answer.

''Fine. But you have to ask her.'' Alice said with a smile, leading us towards my classroom.

''Why do seem so chipper about that?'' I asked her, but she just laughed and ignored my question.

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Initially, she didn't seem opposed to the idea of going shopping with me, but Rosalie vehemently refused to go if Alice came along. Neither party told me why that was, but I was starting to get the gist of it. Which only made me that much more desperate to have her along.

''Please!'' I begged, my hands clasped on the table, aimed towards Rosalie.

''No.'' Was the instant reply, and for once I could see why people might call her an ice-queen. Her ire was downright frigid. I mouthed another plea silently, hoping to sway her, but to no avail. ''No.'' She responded a little louder, probably getting annoyed with my repeated actions.

''Really babe? You can't think of _anything_ that would make it worth it?'' Emmett said with a grin, wiggling his eyebrows at her. She turned to look sideways at him for a second, before a slight crease formed on the side of her lips. Was that it? Was she in? Wait, what is she imagining?

''I'll do it, on one condition. When I choose to call this debt, you must do whatever it is I say. Without protest.'' Rosalie said with a stare that chilled my bones. Was it really worth it? Holy shit if Rosalie was this set against it, how much trouble was I in. What could Rosalie force me to do that would be worse?

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I pull my hands back and sit up straight. ''Deal.'' The resulting smile seems positively predatory. I notice Emmett trying to get Jasper to fist-bump him, who politely refused with a chuckle. Why is it the biggest Cullen that's the least mature?

''It'll be great!'' Alice proclaims as the bell rings, standing up with a grin. Rosalie actually shivered in her seat, grabbing onto her mate's hand.

What the hell am I in for.

''We should head to class.'' Edward said to me as we threw the remains of lunch away. His voice was still unfamiliar to me, even though we spoke only yesterday.

 _You really need to stop brooding so much, Edward._ I thought to him, receiving an eye-roll in return. ''We really should, lab partner.'' I said out loud, as we left the cafeteria. One by one, the silvery signatures disappeared from my senses. What is that defines the range, I started to wonder. There was no inkling of the headache I had felt the first few days anymore. So maybe it's something that must be trained?

''Oh lord, how do you stay sane?'' Edward asked in front of me, just as he walked in the door. If only he knew. Damnit. Quiet... How do I think quietly? He stopped and turned his head around to look at me, and I just smiled innocently in return. _Shoo Edward, people are starting to stare!_

It took effort to stop myself laughing at him just shaking his head in disbelief.

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The sound of my foot tapping repeatedly against the floor was the only sound heard in the house. Well that, and the faint sound or Charlie snoring upstairs. It was ten to seven, and I had been sitting here for the last ten minutes, finding nothing more to do before going outside. I had checked to see that I had everything I needed three times already. Maybe go for a fourth? Nah.

Why am I so nervous. I'm not nervous. Why would I be nervous. Oh God, what are they going to wear? They're like runway models at school, what would they wear when going out in public? What are people going to think when they see _me_ walking next to them.

My other foot joined the first, effectively doubling the tempo.

Why should I care what other people think? They're just humans. They don't even know there's monsters among them. As if they have the right to look down on me. I'll show them.

I froze in place, recognizing the beast stirring within me. Down girl. We're just going shopping. No need to kill, maim, or otherwise fuck up my life any more than usual.

The sound of wheels rolling over gravel drew my attention. I flexed my senses outwards to check, and sure enough, it was them. They were even a bit early. But I couldn't recognize the car.

Shortly after stopping, Alice rushed to the door, not even bothering with the illusion of normalcy. Three faint taps on the door, and before I even answered, Alice was inside. In her hands was a plastic bag with some pink fabric in it. Which looked remarkably similar to the pink onesie she was rocking. With cute fluffy ears on the hood to boot.

''What. Is that.'' I said when my brain finally rebooted. Alice was just beaming that trademark smile of hers, holding the bag out for me to take. I stretched out and took it, turning it around to see if it was in fact the same outfit. No surprises there, if you looked past it existing in the first place.

''A welcoming gift for joining us in our shopping adventures. Come on, put it on. We need to hit the road soon, or we're gonna be late.'' Alice said in a rush, standing up and down on her toes excitedly.

''Not that you don't look cute and all, but why the hell are you wearing a onesie?'' I asked her, crossing my arms in annoyance. Alice just giggled and averted her eyes. If she'd been human, I'd wager she'd have blushed.

''It was Rosalie's idea. She thought you might be the kind of person that would feel pressured to dress in a particular way, to match others. Think of it as a uniform. Rosalie's wearing one too!'' Alice announced as happy as I've ever seen her. Did she not get how that could be offensive? Right. Ancient. Calm down, Bella.

''Well then, why don't you go wait outside. I'll be just a minute.'' I responded after exhaling in frustration. Alice tried to pout her way to waiting inside, but I just pointed towards the door, refusing to give in to the little imp. You're doing enough damage to my psyche as it is, no need to trample me while you're at it.

So after placing all my stuff on the table, I walked up to my room and undressed. After struggling with unpacking the damn thing, I ended up shredding the plastic wrapping in anger. Too bad the blasted onesie survived.

Then came the gymnastic feat that was generally known as getting into the damn thing. I tried my best not to make noise, but I think Charlie woke up. Yeah, he's awake. Damnit.

Finally in the unholy creation of itchy cotton, I zipped up, finding it actually fit quite well. Didn't know Alice had my size down to a science, but then again I suppose being a vampire helps. Going downstairs again, I put the things I need in the sizable pockets embroidered on the outside of this thing. And with a last second to build up the courage to face the world, clad in only a pink monstrosity of shame.

There was no way for the small walk to the black mercedes to end fast enough. The windows were to tinted for me to see much with my eyes, but I could see with my other sense well enough. Rosalie was driving, and Alice was in the passenger seat. So in the interest of saving my brain for as long as possible, I chose to sit behind Alice. That way there was a physical barrier.

The leather interior of the car looked incredibly expensive, but what drew my breath away as I sat down, was Rosalie. She looked incredibly agitated. And hot. Holy shit.

''Remind me why we have to wear this crap?'' Rosalie said, though I was unsure if it was a question, or if she actually wanted a reminder. As if I had actually said anything. Why come up with this idea if you hate it that much?

''To not embarrass Bella. It was your idea in the first place, so stop complaining.'' Alice chided, turning around to look at me. She drank in the view, up and down. Was it really that fun for her to make fun of me? Did her eyes just dilate again?

''I only said we should dress casual! Not that we should dress like floozies!'' Rosalie barked out, and I felt conflicted. On the one hand, the onesie was showing off her amazing curves. On the other hand... What was I thinking again? ''You even bought mine a size too small to begin with!'' She spat, and the jiggle was real. I mean, daaaamn.

I feel jealous of Emmett now.

''Tut-tut dear sister. We're going to be late.'' Alice replied, tinkling laughter and all. Was that little pixie doing this all for me? Who knows.

Rosalie didn't seem to calm down for the first five minutes, at which point she seemed to get enough of the hood pressing into her neck. It was promptly ripped off and thrown out the window. Alice just gaped, and Rosalie seemed to take that as a win. Her mood got better at least.

''What? We both know this thing's done for when I get home anyway.'' Rosalie taunted, wiggling her eyebrows. What was she talking about? Why, would she destroy it intentionally?

''Why do you think I sent Emmett out of the house in the first place?'' Alice replied with a sneer. ''I swear, that man-child doesn't know how to keep it in his pants.'' Rosalie just grinned, somehow managing to stay on the road.

And I was once again betrayed by my brain, concocting images of Rosalie getting ravished while wearing a pink onesie. Why was it so form fitting. And why did Emmett have bunny ears? Where was the cold water when I need it.

''I think we broke her.'' I heard Alice say, before I noticed her waving her hand in front of my face. I instinctually grabbed it and pushed it away, making Alice fall back against the dashboard.

''Hey! Careful with the interior!'' Rosalie chided, almost petting it as Alice managed to lean forwards into the chair again. When did she remove the neck support of her seat?

''Shouldn't you sit the other way around?'' I asked Alice, who was sitting on her knees, facing me. There goes my physical barrier, I guess.

''I can see if we're going to have an accident. Even if I couldn't, I'd be able to get out before we crashed anyway.'' Alice just said matter-of-factly. Vampires are total bullshit. What was it Audrey called it in that game again? Overpowered? Yeah, vampires are overpowered.

So I just resigned myself to the fate, as Alice started prattling off her plans of what she was going to get. She seemed to catch that I zoned out after a while, so she turned around and started babbling to Rosalie. I sorta feel sorry for her, yet I'm thankful that my brain is able to get a break.

Even when we parked the car, she didn't let up. It's good to get excited about something you love, but God damn. Learn to take a break!

First was the shoe shop. And who knew we'd spend nearly an hour just in this one store. I looked over at Rosalie several times, only for her to stare blankly back at me. She knew damn well what I had dragged her into. Mother of mercy, what was Rosalie going to ask me to do in return for this?

I even had to begrudgingly allow Rosalie to buy me a pair of new shoes, for the ones I destroyed the first day at school. Though Rosalie didn't have anything to do with the idea, or forcing me to accept it. It was all Alice. Alice forced Rosalie to pay for a pair of shoes for me. If there is a hell, I'm pretty sure this is it. Oh, and I'd have to _accept_ a set of clothes later too, apparently.

The sun was starting to get quite close to the horizon before me and Rosalie managed to get a break. I announced my need for sustenance, and Rosalie jumped at the opportunity to _help_ the poor non-vampire survive the hassle of a small bakery. What had been more of an issue throughout the day, was all the stares and catcalls. Suffice to say, some might have the impression that Rosalie was ready to rip their jewels off.

Having already filled the car to the brim with bags, and having blown more money than should be strictly legal for three girls in one day, I wondered what Alice was up to. The fact that the onesie was even in one piece at the moment was almost a feat in itself. My legs sure burned with what I could only guess was my powers healing torn muscles.

''That fun huh?'' Rosalie asked after I groaned once more, rubbing my thigh to try to scratch the tingling.

''Please don't hold it against me. I didn't know how zealous Alice was about shopping.'' I responded, starting to hammer on my thighs to get any sense of relief from the burning. It only made it worse.

I moaned into the bear claw I was eating, feeling just about ready to give up. ''Oh I sure will. It's going to be horrible.'' Rosalie replied with a smirk that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

I just grumbled into the pastry as I ate, looking at the people around us. There were humans of all sorts of descents, from most walks of life, just milling about. All of them too preoccupied with what the needed to get, or where they needed to be, to know of the danger among them. Of two vampires and an undetermined monster, clad in pink fucking onesies. The absurdity wasn't lost on me.

''Could I ask you something Rosalie?'' I asked after I finished eating. She had been staring out at the humans around us, before she turned to me and stared inquisitively.

''You just did. But sure, go ahead and ask another question.'' Rosalie replied with some mirth, her teeth reminding me that it was in fact food, walking all around her. Maybe being a vampire wasn't all that great. It does have some downsides.

''You're such an ass.'' I said with a smile, pushing her chair with my foot. She just smiled wider. ''I was wondering about something Edward told me. That you and Emmett voted to tell me what you were, after the first incident. Why?'' I said out quietly, so that none of the other guests would hear.

A pensive mood seemed to overcome her, as she looked down onto her folded hands, wringing them. She did this for almost a full minute, before she looked back up to me. ''I felt guilty, I guess. I could see how scared you were. And I... I know how scary it can be. To be alone, feeling like the world's out to get you.'' She sounded strained as she spoke, but I couldn't tell why.

''How did you know I was alone?'' I whispered, feeling like everyone else in the store had suddenly vanished. Like I was getting a glimpse into who Rosalie is when the walls are down.

''If you had had any allies, more of your kind, your response wouldn't have been as defensive. You might have even been cocky, thinking you were the best the world had to offer. But instead you immediately tried to retreat.'' Rosalie stated quietly. It seemed like she had put some thought into it, but it could have all been a ploy.

''But how could you be sure?'' I asked, pressing on the point which confused me the most. I waited with baited breath for the answer.

''I don't have a power, like the others. But I have experience with people that say one thing, while they think something else. It's made me quite adept at reading people. So much so that Emmett believes me implicitly on these things.'' She explained, and I noticed the small smile in the corner of her mouth when she mentioned her mate. A sting of jealousy, of wanting that for myself, struck again.

It grew quiet at our table again, and the sounds of the world around us seemed to seep back in slowly, while I was mulling over her answer. It wasn't just Emmett that trusted Rosalie, it seemed. Alice had also wanted to tell me. Though she did have her visions, so perhaps she had seen us becoming friends beforehand. Although, she did also come expecting the worst. Reach out with one hand, but arm the other.

''Thank you. For being so kind.'' I whispered almost soundlessly, looking off to the side, much to embarrassed to look her in the eyes. I did notice her nod ever so slightly though.

Some time passed in silence, while the sun finished setting over the mountains. From the corner of a small alley I noticed Alice walking briskly in our direction, a single thin bag hanging from her arm. What in the world? Rosalie seemed to shift in her seat, before she turned to look. Perhaps she smelled her first or something. Surely she couldn't recognize the sound of her shoes tapping on the pavement being her. Then again, vampires.

''Hi there lazy people.'' Alice said with a grin as she walked up to our table. She made no move to sit though, so I guess we were off again. I groaned as I stood up, preparing for another round of torture. I mean shopping.

''So we're heading home?'' Rosalie asks, and I think I almost want to kiss her. Please yes. Home. Please.

''You spoilsports. It wasn't _that_ bad.'' Alice said, trying to sound innocent.

''Yes it fucking was.'' I deadpan back. She just smiles and sticks her tongue out at me. ''You will literally have to fight me next time.'' I threaten, though there isn't any ill will behind it. Alice just chuckles. Because of course she does. Death of me. One day.

''Let's go.'' Rosalie said, and it was like a haze came over my mind as we drove home. I can't even remember going to bed.

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 **AN: So I've been so lucky as to get this christmas off again this year. You can probably look forwards to another chapter or two the next couple of weeks. Hope you all enjoyed.**


	18. Precarious Verification

**AN: So I managed another one in time for christmas. And who knows, maybe you'll get another one before new years? Wink Wink.**

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 **Deadly Affection – Reimagined**

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of it's characters. I just play around with them.

 **Chapter 18: Precarious Verification**

 **Bella PoV**

When I first came back to conscience, the first thing that filtered through my addled mind was the temperature of the room. It was cold. Blinking rapidly, the roof came into focus, with it's familiar lines being exactly where I remember them. Feeling out my body, there was no pain, but I felt cold all over. And _really_ hungry.

Sitting up with intent, I looked to the window. Open. Then I looked down on my body. Not a single thread. I saw the comforter lying beside the bed, seemingly tossed aside. I got up and looked around my room for my clothes, only to find none. All I saw was the bags filled with the things I had bought, and was gifted.

Putting my head through the window, I looked for the signs. This time though, there were no obvious brown spots on the grass, and from what I could see, no fabric that had been ripped apart. I did notice it was still dark out, and the clouds didn't let through much light. Trying to flex my second sight, I pushed the range out to see if there was any dark spots. Doing so brought forth a tingle of a headache, but I noticed the range was much further than I remember. Yet there was no dark spots. I closed the window, having given up finding an answer from up here.

Going back to my nightstand, I tried to find my phone. Only to see that it wasn't there. What. The fuck.

Anger started building up, and I felt a rising lust for wrecking my bed, tossing it into the wall to express my frustration. But I know better. Charlie was sleeping in the other room, so obviously it was sometime in the night, or early morning. No need to make him have to deal with this right now.

I filtered through the bags, picking out a set of clothes and got dressed. I had the inkling that my phone missing and me waking up naked was both from the same reason. Sometime in the night, I had gotten up and left the house, feeding on energy out in the woods somewhere. I balked at the thought that I might have killed something.

I made my bed, being careful to not ruin anything, in an effort to calm down. Thankfully, the comforter wasn't ripped anywhere, so there was that. Sneaking downstairs, first thing I did was check out what the time was. Three in the fucking morning. Why me? I quickly threw together a cheese sandwich to staunch my hunger, and sat down to eat.

Closing my eyes as I chewed, I tried to remember anything from the end of last night. It hadn't been that late in the evening when we left from Port Angeles, maybe half past five or something. That means we should have been home at about seven, but I can't even remember getting out of there car. It's just gone. There's nothing from when I left the house, unlike when it happened in Phoenix. So I had no way to know where the hell my phone is. Brilliant.

When I was done with the first sandwich, I made myself another one. The gnawing hunger had toned down enough to ignore, but I figured another helping would remove it completely. And I found myself getting a glass of water, holding it up to drink, only to flinch away from it. Like I expected it to burn me or something. But it hadn't been an issue to have a bath yesterday, so what the hell?

I ignored the temptation to put my finger in it to test, and just drank it down without another thought. No issue, no burning. Seriously, what was this thing doing to me? Giving me signs of being affected by rabies? The anger lingered underneath the surface, as I had to come up with a plan.

Alice could probably be useful. Would be another set of eyes, if I had to run into the forest to find out where I had sucked an area dry. But I don't have a way to contact her. We don't have a landline in the house. And besides, she was probably busy with something. Or else she'd be here. Maybe.

It would have been fun if she came with. Even after last night, I wanted to see her again. And I knew that it was just tormenting myself, having the temptation so close by, but I couldn't help it. I was hopeless to stop myself. I'm just hopeless, period. Unbelievable.

In a daring attempt to get a hold of her, I snuck into Charlie's room. I'm reminded that his door really needs to be oiled, as it's begins creaking loudly when I try to open it. Dad didn't even flinch though, and I suppose his loud snoring had something to do with that. He had his clothes folded onto a chair he had close to the door, and at first I tried to check if the phone was in his pocket. I just felt stupid when I looked to his nightstand, and saw it clearly lying there. Doesn't mean shit that I can see well in the dark, when I don't know how to look around. I'm never finding my stuff on my own. I frown at myself finding another excuse to call Alice.

Charlie did stop snoring as deeply when I walked up to him though, which scared me. What the fuck was even up with me. Why was I doing this?! But I pressed on, taking his phone gently off the nightstand, and walking back outside. I didn't bother closing his door, as I knew I'd have to put it back in a bit.

Having gotten downstairs again, I found myself facepalming over another issue. I had managed to unlock the phone, thanks to dad only using the basic locking combination. Really, the Sheriff should probably know better, right?

My issue though, was that I didn't actually know Alice's _number._ She had put her contact info into my phone on her own, and Charlie didn't have her in his contact list. A brief idea of calling Carlisle popped up, and I even looked up his info, before deciding against it. He was the leader of their coven, and while I didn't want to make it seem like I was hiding anything from him, I felt more comfortable if only Alice knew of it. If it was something that was worth his time, she would tell him for me. Or she could cover for me, the little minx.

So how to get a hold of her. She has vision, and it was easier for her to see me now. She'd seen me just lying in bed contemplating stuff. How that even works, I don't know. Is she perhaps on her way here already, having seen me wanting to contact me? Can she see me _wanting_ to contact her, when I don't have her information? Overpowered vampires are so broken, I can't tell what is possible, even when I know what they can do.

Oh right, if she knew I wanted to contact her, but couldn't, she'd try to call me first, right? But was my number still working? I tried to find my own contact info, and hit dial. For a few seconds it was silent, before I got the message that the phone number I tried to call, was not in use. That doesn't bode well for my phone.

So, if Alice did try to call me, she couldn't. Does she know my dads number? Surely she could get it from Carlisle if she wanted. That is, if she wanted to clue him in to that I was hard to reach. So maybe that's why she hadn't called Charlie's phone yet. She doesn't have the number.

Getting up, I looked around the kitchen and found a piece of paper and a pen, then I wrote my dads number down. I felt incredibly stupid, looking at the number written down, hoping Alice would somehow understand. So I wrote down 'call me' underneath the number, and was about to put the paper up to my face, only for it to ring.

I nearly jumped at the sound, clamoring to silence the sound so that Charlie wouldn't wake. So with a hoarse whisper, I answered the unknown number. ''Alice? Is that you?'' Of course it would be her stupid, who else would call Charlie at three in the morning, that wasn't listed?

''Yeah, it's me. What's up Dopey?'' Alice teased, her tinkling laughter following quietly after. From the sound of it, she was lying down. I suddenly felt like I was intruding, and at a loss for words to explain my situation. Though I felt somewhat calmer about my predicament for some reason.

''I'm not Dopey. I'm up at three in the morning. I can grant that it seems I had a bout with narcolepsy last night, but I blame you for that. But that's not why I'm calling.'' I argue, trying my best to keep to a whisper. Knowing how I have a tendency to get really riled up at times, I move myself to the porch, being careful to close the door gently.

''The reason I'm calling is to ask for your help. I don't remember anything after we got to the car yesterday, and now I can't find my phone.'' I speak into the cold morning air, seeing my breath become mist in front of me.

''That isn't too weird, considering you passed out. Did you know you speak in your sleep?'' Alice teased, and I felt the blood drain from my face. What the hell did I say? Oh please don't tell me I made a fool of myself. ''It wasn't anything too bad. You just didn't want me to stop petting you.'' Alice said with a laugh, this time not even trying to keep it hidden. I felt torn between wanting to throw the phone away and finding a hole to die in, and listening to her heavenly laughter.

''Wait, why were you petting me?'' I questioned, not understanding how that would come to be if I passed out in the back seat. ''And what kind of petting are we talking about?'' I added for clarification. Surely Alice didn't mean _that_ kind of petting, right?

She just laughed harder, and it sounded like she struggled to hold the phone still. ''Don't you remember using my thighs as a pillow? Really, the daughter of the Sheriff should know better than to lie down in a car without a seat belt on.'' Alice admonished, and this time all the blood came rushing back to my head, as a blush this time. I did what now? Surely some vampire trickery was involved. ''And I know I'm not the right person to call out your choice of pillow, seeing as I don't sleep. But you really ought to find something softer.''

I felt speechless for a good while, trying to reign in all the conflicting thoughts running through my mind. She didn't mind me using her as a pillow? She was joking about me sleep talking. Was she a good pillow?

''Aaaanyway. My issue is that I can't find my phone. How did I get to bed?'' I had to change the topic, or else I'd really have to dig a hole. My heart probably wouldn't mind getting a small break either.

''Oh, Rosalie had to carry you inside. I really wanted to do it, but she said your dad would take note of that, with me being me.'' Alice said with a huff that told me she was frowning. Did this tiny terror really enjoy messing with me that much?

I just had to push past it. It did occur to me that I hadn't actually checked my wardrobe to see if Rosalie had undressed me and put my clothes in there. A quick look with my second sight and I could tell that my phone wasn't there at least, as that would have stood out. And it didn't connect when I tried to call it earlier either.

''Right. So she just placed me down on my bed, and left?'' I asked her, trying to piece together the events that had transpired.

''I don't know, did we?'' Alice teased back, and I felt the blush creep up again at the thought. They had both been in my bedroom. They wouldn't do anything to me if I was out of it, right? ''Yeah, she just helped you get on the bed and left. Charlie thought we had been out drinking because of your state, so he made a fuzz about it. But when he saw the amount of bags I was carrying, he eased up. He actually looked quite pale'' Alice explained. Huh, what would Charlie have said if he had come along yesterday I wonder. Screaming bloody murder, most likely. Or maybe not, seeing as that was part of his occupation.

''Great. That means it's most likely somewhere out in the woods.'' I said with exasperation, kind of hoping she'd suggest to help instead of having to ask her. But it didn't come for a full breath, so I had to suck it up. This little imp most certainly knew I would ask, so why she made me have to do it was beyond me. Then thoughts of what other couples would spend their nights doing, if they didn't have to sleep, crossed my mind. I immediately balked at the notion, and pressed on. She could decide well on her own what she wanted to do.

''Would you come over and help me look, if you're not busy with something?'' I asked tentatively. Wait, why didn't Alice see me when I went out earlier? Wouldn't she have been concerned about that?

''Sure, I'll be there in a few minutes. See you soon!'' She said, and hung up before I had a chance to respond. I wasn't sure if I should find it rude, or to be thankful she dropped everything in her hands to come help me. Again, I balked, thinking what that could have been.

I spent the next few minutes putting the phone back, and eating some more. Seriously, this need to eat so damn much was starting to get to me right about now. As I cleaned up all the crumbs and put everything back in the fridge, a small figure came into my range. She waited patiently outside the door without a sound, but when I opened the door she smiled like there was no tomorrow. What is going on with this woman? Did Rosalie give her ideas about going on trips in the forest at night with me or something?

''Thanks for coming to help me look. I'm sorr-'' I started to say, only to be interrupted by the tiny terror that was Alice.

''Oh don't worry about it. I enjoy spending time with you.'' Alice stated plainly, her smile not fading in the slightest. I on the other hand, nearly smash the door closed. I would have, if not for Alice. It was just getting silly at this point, how I reacted to her presence.

Not trusting my capability to speak at the moment, I lead her around the house to where I would have landed. Looking into the forest with my senses, I still couldn't find any clues as to what direction I had gone.

''I can't see anything to hint where I was headed. Think you can track my scent?'' I asked Alice, who looked at me funny.

''You honestly don't remember?'' She said in disbelief, but she did not wait for an answer. Instead she moved forwards towards the trees, motioning for me to follow. ''Something smells off about your scent. Like it's more intense, and with a slightly different aroma.'' Alice said without looking back at me.

Now what in the world was I supposed to do with that information? Ask the internet why my supernatural fucked up powers make me smell weird when I didn't even have control of my body? What?

Instead, I kept silent and followed her into the woods. Like she was a bloodhound I had summoned for a single reason, to be dismissed shortly after. I didn't want it to seem like that, so I searched for something to fill the void.

''You didn't see me go out in the middle of the night?'' I asked, stumbling over my words. She turned her head to look at me before responding.

''I didn't no. Though I suppose I wasn't looking, as I thought you'd be asleep.'' Alice said in response, slowing down slightly and moving so that I walk beside her instead of behind. She was probably busy with other things at the time anyway.

''By the way, is it normal for you to pass out like that?'' Alice asked. I actually hadn't thought about that. It's not really normal for a person to just pass out like that, is it. And I hadn't been low on energy for any reason before that either. I was pretty much stocked after my run in with Rosalie in the morning, and I hadn't used any between then and shopping. So why did that take so much out of me?

''It's the first time that's happened to me. Good thing you were there, although you're most likely to blame.'' I teased, nudging her shoulder with mine. She just huffed with a smile and kept walking. I noticed that we we're heading almost parallel to the path where I trained, as it was within the range of my second sight. It wasn't void of life however, so that wasn't where I had ended up. Hopefully the part of me that had been in control knew to go quite a lot further now. Not that I expected much.

''Do you have any theory on why you make this treks in the night?'' She asked, her tone much more upbeat than it had been. I wonder what was going through her mind.

''Not really. At first I thought it might just be my powers manifesting. Maybe some sort of active self-defense that forced me to increase my reserves of energy, preparing for a fight. Or it could be an emergency re-fueling sort of deal, though I don't know why it would act up last night if that was the case.'' I pondered out loud. I really had no clue why it happened, all I know is that I was getting fucking tired of waking up to another set of clothes being destroyed. Or having my phone missing, in this case.

''So it wasn't just an excuse for wanting to hang out with me?'' Alice teased back, sticking her tongue out at me for good measure. Not that I was against the idea of hanging out, but I think I'd prefer it not being in this scenario.

''What, did you have something better to do?'' I teased back, mimicking her childishly. As it processed, I felt stupid for asking. If she did in fact have something she'd been busy with, I'd just feel guilty for pulling her away from it.

''Nope!'' She responded with cheer, grinning as we kept walking. I couldn't be sure if she said that to ease my reaction, if she had foreseen it. The cynical part of me wanted to interpret it so. But I felt I should give Alice the benefit of the doubt. I sure felt better believing she just wanted to spend time with me.

Nearly a minute of walking in silence later, I caught a glimpse of darkness in my senses. Just a little to the north of our current path, maybe a hundred meters away. And with each step, I grew more and more nervous.

''I can see it, up that way.'' I whispered, pointing in the direction of the void. Even twenty meters further down the path, and the width of destruction was still growing. I stopped in my tracks, grabbing a hold of Alice's wrist. She turned to me with confusion on her face, and I knew why.

It was perhaps irrational of me, but I didn't want to face the facts of what I was sensing. And I didn't want Alice to see either. I felt scared, imagining her reaction to it.

''What's the matter?'' Alice asked, concern evident in her voice. She had made no move to make me loosen my grip, instead turning to face me fully. Her other hand clasped gently at my shoulder. A comforting move, though I felt the need to get away from her. I didn't want to hurt her. I didn't want her to hurt me.

I just wanted to forget about this. To dream that I was just back in my bed, sleeping.

What would she think, when she saw _that_.

 _Get a fucking grip!_

Anger flared through me, and I pulled away from Alice roughly. Walking up to the biggest tree I could find, I flared the cloak up around my right arm and punched as hard as I could. Splinters flew from the impact, several small cuts opening up, and some even embedding in my skin. Within seconds, they popped out and the wounds healed.

The red glow disappeared as I forced the cloak back, focusing on taking deep breaths to calm down. To center myself again. Why had I acted like that. They had already accepted me, as I was. This wasn't anything new.

Just worse, I thought sarcastically as the beast backed down again.

''I'm sorry. I panicked.'' I said before turning around, knowing perfectly well that she could hear me anyway. The distrustful look on her face was uncomfortable, although not unexpected. ''Just... Follow me.'' I said quietly, pumping my legs up with energy and speeding in the direction of the destruction.

A few seconds later I was standing at the edge, gaping at the result. And gagging from the smell. The small flecks of dirt down in Phoenix was nothing compared to this. An area spanning what I would guess to be around thirty to forty meters in diameter, with dozens upon dozens of trees ranging from a couple of meters, to those once towering up in the canopy. All of them dead, looking ready to snap and fall at any moment. The trunks bending and twisting from what I had done. Not an inkling of energy were left, even down in the roots beneath the ground. I was actually nervous to walk into this glade of horror, for fear that I'd be crushed under the remains.

''Ohh.'' Was Alice's reaction as she stopped a few steps beside me. How eloquent. I also noticed she had stopped breathing. What a nifty ability to have right now.

''Yeah.'' My response wasn't much better. I was still processing. ''What are the odds I can walk in and look for my phone without killing myself?'' I asked, without looking towards the tiny clairvoyant.

She didn't respond in words, instead walking a bit into the area and pushing on one of the bigger trees. It didn't look like she made much effort of it, but the resounding crack answered my question. Her hand was still hanging in the air as it fell into a second tree that made the same sound, and then a third. Like dominoes, six trees in a row ended up shattering like glass to the forest floor. A few more nearby fell just from the vibration of the ground, or the air pressure created.

''Could I ask you to find it for me?'' I asked, once the silence once again settled, hoping she'd understand why. Again she didn't voice a reply, instead just moving ahead. ''It should be at the center.'' I called after her, immediately feeling stupid for doing so. It was kinda obvious.

While I saw her flitting about near the center, brushing away a layer of fine dust and needles that had settled, I tried to spot anything that hadn't been a plant structure once. To see if I had killed anything else, like I had promised myself I would never do.

Try as I might, it was just about impossible to discern any shapes with my second sight. Everything was just dark. The trees I could mostly make out, with the ones outside the area still being orange, showing me the outlines. But anything on the forest floor and below was harder. I had to physically walk around, just outside the edge to look with my own two eyes.

I had only made it around a quarter of the circle, before Alice walked up to me. In her hands two pieces of crumbling corroded metal, and some clumps of plastic. Upon closer inspection, having picked it out of her hand, I recognized the first two as the remains of my phone, and my keys. The last was he remains my wallet. Fucking perfect. I hadn't even thought of those. I didn't even think to lock up when I left the house.

The plastic of the phone seemed to have melted off, leaving mostly just the metal wiring of the circuit board which was corroded. The shell of what used to be the battery was completely riddled with holes. As if tendrils had bored into it to suck out the energy, which kind of made sense. The keys didn't seem as damaged, probably just being damaged from the contact as it didn't hold any energy. But they were still mangled beyond use.

The wallet was what confused me however, with it looking like it had been cut at odd lines. Trying to open the raggedy thing, I noted that the cash that had been in it was shredded in some places. I knew that paper currency had hidden ink and stuff, so that the banks could find counterfeit money being distributed. That's the only thing I could think of that could make sense of the marks. But I had never noticed that it held any energy. Perhaps something to do with the chemicals in the ink?

''I'm not sure we should tell the others...'' Alice said, filling the silence. I looked into her eyes, searching for what she was thinking. What I wouldn't give to have Edward's ability right now. Was she scared of me? I wouldn't blame her. She was the clairvoyant though, so she should know what to do. Unless this was one of the things where her family actually had to consider their options before knowing how to proceed, effectively making her power useless.

It had been my first thought when I saw what I had done here, to keep it hidden. To not even let Alice see it. If I did, she would have most certainly come back to check at a later date. She was a vampire after all, there was nothing I could do that would stop her.

If any of her family came across this part, which wasn't that hard to imagine happening, it would be no problem for them at all to trace it back to my house. They'd know I was involved. Depending on how long it would take any of the to discover this place, they would probably know Alice was here with me. They'd know we were trying to cover it up. That'd only cause more suspicion, and increase the likelihood of a bad outcome.

So that wasn't an option. Better to stand my ground and tell them that this was in fact how dangerous I was. They weren't safe around me. I had never done it consciously, though I had managed it once while I was awake. If I lost control again while they were around, it was only fair that they knew the danger.

Alice tilted her head sideways as she was looking at me. She'd probably seen the conclusion I had ended up at. What I would say. She just nodded her head, biting her lip briefly before she picked up her phone and made the call. As she strolled a few steps away, speaking in rapid fashion, I found a small rock to sit on.

It would be a while before they got here. It's going to be a hard few minutes, that much I could tell already. The butterflies were churning those sandwiches earlier, making me feel like puking.

Alice sat down on the ground in front of me, looking thoughtful. Probably looking into the future for any clues. I wanted to ask her for any insight into what I could say. How we could proceed, to make this work out. But in this decision, she was on the side of her family. I wouldn't even attempt to sway her to my side in this, as I hope they would never do to me regarding Charlie.

So we sat in silence, with only the sound of my breathing to accompany us. And probably the hammering of my heart, in Alice's case.

I tried to imagine what their reactions would be. One wasn't that hard to guess. Edwards would probably have a conniption. How loudly he would voice his distrust was yet to see. I didn't really know what Jasper would say. Would he oppose to Alice being so close to me, after he had seen the devastation I could bring? We had only interacted a couple of times, and even then he hadn't been very... wordy.

How would Rosalie and Emmett react? It brought a brief smile to my face, thinking of Emmett's reaction. If it ended up being just one word, my bet would be 'wicked'. Rosalie was another deal, with her acting like a defender in dangerous situations. She had been playful and kind after they accepted me. But she also gave me the impression that she thought things through, imagining every possible outcome that could come to fruition. Would this make her change her mind? Would she start to act different?

The elder vampires were even harder to guess than Jasper. I've only met Carlisle three times in total, and all of them brief. From what I've seen, he was very charismatic and charitable. But he was also very cunning. That much was clear in how he dealt with the shifters. I didn't really have enough of an impression of how he acts to know how he would react. It was even worse with his wife, Esme. I'd only seen her twice, and during one of those she had been ready to fight. First impression could be summed up to mama bear. Which probably didn't bode well.

The last one was Alice. She hadn't said a word about the issue, other than try to hide it. Which could be interpreted both ways, if she wanted to distance herself after we'd left this place. I tried to inspect her, analyze her stance. She looked comfortable where she sat, not leaning away from me in any noticeable way. Her face was neither set in anger or fear, though the smile was also gone. The smile that I enjoyed to see so much. That would probably be what I would miss the most, that and her laughter. I think I'd even miss Rosalie's persistent teasing.

Alice turned her head in the direction we had come from at the same time as I first saw them. They were running together at high speed, and within seconds they were visible. Most of them were drawn towards the destruction. Everyone beside Jasper, who approached us.

''Ladies.'' He greeted, holding out a hand to help Alice stand up. I suppressed the sting inside me, knowing there was probably more to come. No need to fret about it yet.

''Hey Jas.'' Alice said, giving him a hug, before they both faced me. I saw Jasper looking at me as if he was trying to understand something, before he glanced over his shoulder for a brief second.

''You okay Bella?'' He asked as he turned back to me. What a silly question for an empath to ask.

''Oh I'm fabulous. Can't you tell?'' I responded with sarcasm. If it served any useful purpose to be aggressive at this point, I couldn't tell. But it felt safer to try to distance myself from the beginning. Not that he, or any of them deserved it. I did _see_ Emmett grin to Rosalie. A mote of joy lit up at that, but it was quickly squashed.

''You did this?'' Edward hissed, as if I didn't know he'd react in this way from the start. Carlisle held up his hand to silence him, which seemed to work as his shoulders dropped. What did the brat think he could tell me, that I hadn't thought of myself? Again I was reminded that even though they were older, it didn't mean they were more rational.

''I was told that this had stopped happening. And that when it did happen, the outcome was not this severe.'' The elder vampire voiced calmly, all eyes looking to him as he spoke. His face didn't betray any emotion, no tell that could inform me what he was thinking.

So I stepped forwards to the rest of the vampires, who were standing in a semi-circle near the edge. I stared at the ground, trying to come up with an answer. I _looked_ to Alice with my second sight, to see if I could tell what she was thinking. For naught, other than a tight-lipped smile, she was like a statue.

Honest truth then. It was how I had dealt with them the last time, so why not stick to it. ''I don't know what causes me to do this. I'm not even sure I could replicate it if I tried. And as to why it's so much worse than last time, I'm not sure of that either. It could be that I'm just that much more powerful than I was back in Phoenix. Or that there's so much more energy close together that it sustained the process for longer.'' I said clearly, feeling like I was on trial. I would have felt completely alone, if not for Alice standing much closer than the rest. Though Jasper had moved to stand between us.

Carlisle seemed to think it through, before he shared a look with Esme who had leaned into him. The look they shared seemed to convey their feelings, though I could not tell what they were. Seconds passed, before they both turned to me. Esme was even smiling. The naiveté. How infuriating.

Feeling emboldened by my anger, I took a step forward. ''Can't you see what that means? That is what I do!'' I nearly shouted, pointing towards the void. ''I'm dangerous!'' Why I nearly growled the words, I did not know. Do I want them to hate me? It would be easier than getting their sympathy. But I don't want to be alone.

Esme challenges me, also taking a step forwards, but her face doesn't harden. ''Would you ever harm us intentionally?'' She asked softly, tilting her head slightly sideways.

''No. Never intentionally. But I can't seem to control this.'' I whispered, feeling the anger fade again. I looked between the rest of them, taking in their expressions. None of them seemed angry. Only somber. ''I could hurt someone. I could kill someone.'' I say in a last ditch attempt to convince them. The obvious hint of it being one of them. None of them seem fazed.

''Oh dearie.'' Esme said, before walking up to me. A cold hand caresses my cheek, and I freeze. ''Don't take this the wrong way, but almost everyone in this clearing has already killed people. All of us regret it. And we never hold it against each other.'' She said quietly, before embracing me.

''But you at least know what you're doing.'' I muttered, standing quite still. I could feel the pressure starting to building behind my eyes.

''It doesn't feel like that, in those moments.'' Esme whispered. The last remains of resistance in me crumbled, and I grabbed onto her tightly, feeling warm tears staining her jacket.

Part of me rejoiced in the fact that she had accepted me, and I realized that she had sort of unofficially adopted me into her family. Another cub for her to defend. Part of me felt guilty that I couldn't share this moment with my own mother, even though she wouldn't understand.

There wasn't a word said between the silent watchers. Edward and Carlisle shared a look, before the former ran off into the night. I felt silly, crying for this nonsense. It was just who I was now. Why should I be scared of that. It dawned on me that I had actually felt scared with what I was becoming, since that first time I realized it was me.

I had worked to push people away, in a sense trying to save them from the danger that I posed. I had lied to, deceived, and even shied away from contact with the people I care for the most. Even Charlie. And in it all, I had blamed it on a figment of my imagination. The beast. When it was all just me.

It was a tough pill to swallow, but I did. No more running from the responsibility that was my life. I was different, but that didn't mean I had to feel ashamed. Time to face the world with my head held high.

I let go of Esme and looked to the people around us. Kind, timid smiles surrounded me. That, and Emmett grinning like he was a kid in a candy store. I couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped me, and he just grinned even wider for it.

''I'm sorry if I disturbed anything important. I just thought you ought to see it for yourselves.'' I said to those remaining.

''Think nothing of it dear.'' Esme replied warmly, before walking over to her husband. Even Carlisle didn't seem so intimidating anymore.

Alice bouncing over to me drew my attention, her expression clear as day. She felt guilty, but happy. So she knew all this time what was going to happen. I had been a stick in the mud I guess. So this little encounter was probably something that would improve the path moving forward. I swear, this little imp. Death. Of. Me.

''I'm sor-'' She started before I interrupted her, holding my hand up. Her breath seemed to catch, though if it was for effect or genuine worry, I couldn't tell.

''I understand. I kind of needed that.'' I said before pulling her in for a hug. She seemed surprised by my sudden physical display, but quickly leaned into me. Who knew a vampire could feel so soft. No, bad mind. Boyfriend is right there. Back off. At least the mind reader wasn't around.

Letting her go, Jasper smiled broadly to the both of us. ''She really is quite somethin'.'' He said with a twang, though I couldn't tell who he meant. Surely he must be talking about Alice, yet he was looking at me.

''That she is.'' Alice responded, donning her perfect little smile. ''So now that's done and over with, want to come to our place?'' She asked, turning to me. It felt funny now, thinking of how much trepidation I had felt for going back to their home. All for nothing.

''Yeah, sure.'' I said, feeling quite chipper. The sun was barely starting to light up the horizon, yet I felt like I could take on the world right about now. The only thing I couldn't take on with a straight face, was Emmett playing dominoes with the remains of dead trees, jumping for joy.

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While the rest have taken to destroying the evidence as best they could, Alice and Jasper had followed me back to my place. I wrote a note for Charlie explaining I had gotten up early and gone to visit the Cullen's. I still didn't know how I could even start to make it up to him for how I've acted, but that would come with time. I felt quite sure about that now.

All three of us managed to fit into the cab of my truck, though perhaps teasing Alice with it working out due to the fact that she was about the size of a child was unnecessary. Even Jasper got the stink eye, having laughed just as much as I did from her reaction.

The whole way there, Jasper kept asking me about aspects of what I could do. How if felt to suck out the energy from trees, what it felt like when I had the cloak up, and the like. If I didn't know any better, he had been waiting for a while to be able to ask me these things. Had Alice told him to wait until I got ready to accept it all? I didn't know whether to think of that as coddling or compassion.

In any case, she didn't seem to mind. Alice was more busy with singing along to Perfect by Ed Sheeran. Her soft tones even distracting me mid-answer at points. She seemed totally content, in her own little world. I felt wistful, listening to her.

When we pulled up their driveway, I could see them buzzing around inside the house. Esme seemed to be preparing food in the kitchen, with Carlisle keeping her company. Edward and Emmett were mashing something in their hands, looking at the TV. Maybe playing a game, but I couldn't quite tell. Rosalie was in the garage, lying beneath what I could only guess was a car.

''So, any particulars on the agenda?'' I asked them as we exited the truck. Alice didn't seem to miss a beat as she zipped to my side and took hold of my arm.

''I'm going to show you my room! I want to show you my projects!'' She exclaimed, pulling me along into the house. Jasper even opened the door for us with a smile, which felt odd.

I didn't even get to say hello to anyone, as she dragged me up the stairs to the third floor, and into the room on the left. What greeted me was a mess of papers everywhere, with drawings of different designs of clothing. Four mannequins dressed with intricate layers of cloth held together with safety-pins. One of them looked quite similar to an outfit Alice had helped me pick out just yesterday.

The fact that she had let go of my arm, and was looking intently at me didn't get filtered until then. I managed to look further around the room. The walls were a soft yellow color, which sort of fit with Alice in a way. There was a door in the right-hand corner behind the bed, which _looked_ like it was a bathroom. Though why they would need that, no wait. Vampires probably still liked to shower. And cleaning up after... other... activities.

It didn't do well to dwell on that, so I kept looking. The bed was only a queen size, which I didn't understand the reason for. Not that it seemed to have suffered any damage one would expect. The comforter was neatly folded, and by the looks of it, it had only been used for sitting on top of. A clear impression in the middle roughly the size of one tiny clairvoyant pixie. From there she would have a decent view of all the mannequins standing in front of it. Why a vampire would choose to have a bed here then, instead of a table to better support drawing her ideas, I could not tell. Those were clearly drawn while on the floor, with the pencils being still lying on top of one of them.

Behind Alice there was another room. A walk-in closet apparently, by all the rows of dresses and shoes displayed. In the corner was a shelf filled with books and CD's, and in the middle stood a small stereo. I wonder what she was listening to.

Feeling too curious to contain it, I walked around her and hit power, then play. I probably shouldn't have been surprised to hear some familiar notes, with how carefree she had been singing in the car.

''Perfect.'' I said quietly in tune with the song, and Alice beamed with joy, nearly hopping up and down in place.

Faster than I could react, she pulled me along and twirled me around the room. Time seemed to slow down, as I let the power flow through me, just enough to be able to keep up. The look on her face lit up even brighter, if that was even possible, when she noticed I was paying attention. Her laughter was infectious.

Our movement started to create wind, as proved by drawings starting to flap up into the air. Noticing the problem, Alice slowed to a stop and sat me down on the edge of the bed, before running around a lot faster to pick everything up. Not even five seconds later every paper was stacked neatly in a pile in the closet, before she walked around and sat down next to me.

Not that I was able to appreciate that at first, seeing as I was having trouble making the room stop spinning. I might have been able to focus on her face, but I still suffered from inertia. Do vampires not have a sense of up or down like we do perhaps? Or had their inner ear turned into a solid version of what humans have? I'd have to ask one of them later.

''I'm so glad you like it!'' Alice exclaimed, rocking the bed with her bouncy movement. Does the imp have an off button? It sure would be handy.

''I only have one question. Okay no, I have several. But one that is more pressing than the rest.'' I said, leaning back on the bed with my hands to help the vertigo. ''Why does that outfit look so familiar?'' Pointing to the offending mannequin, I saw her expression turn from happy to guilty. It didn't seem to slow her streak as she zipped to it, and started feeling along the folds with her hands.

''I saw it in a vision a little while back. It was kind of hard to make out, as that was when I couldn't see you clearly. So I tried to make a copy, not that I really knew why. It just felt like I had to do it, you know.'' Alice explained. This version was a much thicker fabric than the almost see-through one she had helped me pick out yesterday. But it had all the same colors, and the layers were stacked in the same way.

''I didn't find anything close to it in any catalog I had, so I tried to make it from memory. But when I saw it yesterday, I knew that had to be the one.'' Her voice sounded almost reverent, as she stroked it. Why in the world? What I wouldn't give to have Edwards power. _Perhaps you could help me out later?_

It was a long-shot that he'd even speak to me right now, but anyway. ''What could make it so important?'' I whispered, not wanting to break her focus. She only met me with a teasing smile.

''That would be spoilers!'' She chuckled, spinning twice on her way back to the side of the bed. ''Now, any other questions?''

''Does your mate complain about you hogging the room any?'' I asked, not really seeing any signs at all that he had any of his stuff here. Maybe they had separate rooms?

''My mate?'' Alice asked, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion. ''What, Jasper? He's not my mate.'' At seeing me nod, she threw her head back in laughter. ''Why do you think I've been flirting with you all this time then?''

I felt incredibly shocked and stupid, all at the same time. But there had been signs right? ''But Jess said... And what about at school. And last time I was here.'' I managed to mumble through my severe case of the Swan blush.

Her laughter died down after that, looking somewhat guilty. ''I can understand why it would look that way. I'm not gonna lie, we were intimate once, many years ago. And we have remained great friends ever since.'' The way she said it made me feel jealous, though it didn't sting like it once had. ''The reason we stick so close, is because I help him keep his baser impulses in check.'' She explained.

So I guess that means I'm still on the menu for them. Great thing to sort out while we're ahead.

Another question popped into my head then. One that made me uneasy. ''Am I your mate then?'' As soon as I spoke those words, Alice's mood flat out died. Guess she hadn't seen that question coming. The result did tell me the answer though, even as she moved to speak.

''Those of my family lucky enough to have found their mate all told me that when I found that person, I'd know. But I... don't.'' Alice whispered, looking everywhere but at me.

It felt like someone had gut-punched me at first. Then why would she lead me on like this? What was even the point, if she knew we weren't meant to be. Why did she and Jasper ever get together then? To pass the time? Was that all I was to her?

The cynical part of me that I expected to taunt me with this didn't seem to exist in that moment. Instead I felt compelled to look to the little creature sitting next to me. To all her flaws. For all her actions, and manipulations, she was a good person. Anyone would be lucky to have her in their life. I sure felt that.

Even with the darkness she hid within her, caused by her curse. Now I saw that it was even closer to the surface than I'd imagined. She didn't have anyone to hold her, in her vast eternity. And that was another thing. She was practically immortal. While I still had a beating heart. And whether or not the healing capability my powers gave me were diminishing my telomeres, was yet to be determined. I didn't know how long I had. And if I ever died before her, I wouldn't have wanted her to be alone.

I don't want that fate on anyone. So maybe this was sort of a blessing. I would get the privilege of her company. I would be able to help her carry her burden, for as long as she'd have me. And if the worst came to pass, I'd know she'd find someone else to carry the torch, eventually.

A sense of warmth grew in me then, as I reached my conclusion. Suffusing my body with a joy I hadn't felt before. Like the calm pressure that had filled me once before, but so much stronger. Like the surge of strength the power in me usually gave, but more subtle, more determined. Looking upon my hands, I saw a tiny shimmering hue of blue. It was stretched thin, not even a millimeter thick. But the power I felt was undeniable.

With shock, I jumped off the bed and tried to stop it so I wouldn't be left without clothes. Only to realize that it did nothing to them. I put my arm to my sleeve, testing it, only to find that it didn't seem to be bothered. It sort of fazed though the thin screen of blue energy, which stopped my prodding finger flat. Like it was immovable.

'' _This is new_.'' I said to no one in particular, surprised by the chime like quality to my own voice. I sort of sound like Alice now. How strange. Speaking of, what was her take on this.

I turned around to look at her, only to see her eyes completely dilated. Her nose was flaring, and she was breathing deeply. Slowly she moved to stand, teeth bared and jaw shaking with minute movements. And her arms were reaching for me.

Well fuck.

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 **AN: Would the response to any hate for the cliffhanger, perchance be suited to be along the lines of; Bite me?**

 **Bad pun, I know. In any case, I hope you all enjoyed that. Feel free to tell me what you think. It sort of makes my day. Hopefully it won't be long before you get the resolution of this new development. Happy holidays everyone!**


	19. Bump in the Road

**AN: That's two chapters in two weeks. But don't expect that to become the norm, as it was just a holiday present from me to you guys. I hope you enjoy it!**

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 **Deadly Affection – Reimagined**

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of it's characters. I just make them do silly stuff.

 **Chapter 19: Bump in the Road**

 **Bella PoV**

The sound of something breaking downstairs was evident enough, though it did nothing to capture Alice's attention. What was going on with her? Did she suddenly want to eat my face right now? In this moment. I thought we were having a moment. Was this really the time to loose control? Like really?

It looked like she was struggling though, her movement was labored. So maybe she was trying to resist the urge, but something made it too tempting? Wait, she reacted somewhat similar the other time I felt this power. So maybe it was me? Right, so there was probably something with this power that attracted vampires. Good to know. Let's not try to get more involved.

'' _Don't come in!_ '' I said out loud, not to the one in the room, but the three boys running up the stairs towards us. Please just listen. I don't need four of you trying to get a slice out of me at the same time. Odd. My second sight feels different. It's not orange anymore. And I could see the contours of objects much more clearly now. Huh, was it actually Edward that stopped the other two right outside the door? Nice work.

I met Alice's hands with my own, entwining our fingers. It was sort of flattering in a way, that she found me so hard to resist in this moment. But now was not the time.

She tried her best to let go of my hands, to push them apart so that she could get closer to me, but nothing happened. I could feel how much force she was putting into it, but it felt merely like the breeze on my skin. I did not move. Not unless I wanted to.

''Alice? Are you in there?'' I asked gently, letting go of one hand to caress her cheek. Hers found it's way to my side, and she tried to pull me into her. But I did not move. Her attention turned to my hand, as she feebly tried to get it near her mouth. I did not let her.

''Nnggh... please...'' I heard her groan. It sent chills down my spine for all the wrong reasons.

''Bella? What's going on?'' Edward asked insistently from the other side of the door. If only they weren't here.

'' _It's okay. I've got it handled._ '' I said in response, not even trying to hide my annoyance. I focused once again on Alice, who looked like she was in pain. I felt guilty for doing this to her. This was my doing. So I'd trust her with how this ended up.

'' _Babe, can you freeze up for just one moment for me?_ '' I asked her in a whisper, trying to impress on her the importance of it.

''It's... hard... please...'' She responded, but for the moment she did not move. So I forced the power to fall back into me, letting go of it completely. I just hoped it was enough.

''There. Is it easier to resist now?'' I asked her, my voice returning to normal. I was suddenly pulled into her, feeling a dull ache from the force she used. But I also saw her eyes blink several times, as she looked down onto my bare neck. ''It's okay Alice. I trust you.'' I whispered quietly, closing my eyes.

The anticipation of what would come next was sort of thrilling, if slightly scary. I had faith that Alice wouldn't cause irreparable damage, though it still hurt a bit when she pulled away from me at top speed. Two of my fingers that had still been interlaced with hers thrummed with pain for a few seconds as she crashed into the far wall, making a big dent.

This time there was no stopping the three male vampires entering the room. Jasper and Edward being in front, while Emmett held up the rear. The first two focused on Alice, while Emmett came my way just as I flexed my left hand, my fingers having healed again.

''I'm good.'' I said in advance, anticipating his questions. He gave me a quick glance just to make sure, before he sniffed the air.

''What is that smell?'' He huffed, looking around for a source. At first I got alarmed, thinking he might have a similar reaction as Alice, but he didn't seem to find it anything other than irritating. As if he was offended by it or something.

''You need to hunt.'' I heard Jasper say from the other side of the room. I looked around the gentle giant to see Alice nod, before she moved towards the door. A pang of fear struck, as she might have an adverse reaction to the situation that had unfolded. She'd blame herself.

''Alice!'' I yelped, getting her attention before she left. ''Not that this is the ideal way to ask, but would you go on a date with me?'' I asked her, hoping that it would convey that I did not blame her, or fear her for what had transpired. She didn't give me a verbal response, only a pained smile, before she was gone.

That left me in a small room with three male vampires, all of them staring at me. Waiting for answers, no doubt. Edward seemed to focus all his attention on me, as if I would know his questions without him speaking them. I'm no vampire, and I certainly do not know him well enough to guess his thought pattern.

Instead I looked to Emmett, who I knew a lot better. Only concern was clear on his face, probably wondering what had gone down, so he could possibly try to fix it. ''It's okay. I was a little startled when Alice told me... well, you know.'' I started to explain. To their credit, two of them actually looked sheepish, in a way admitting they had been listening. Edward, not so much. If that was because he believed I was still out to get his family in trouble, I do not know. He was still an inconsiderate asshole that liked to put his nose in other peoples business.

''And as a result, it seems I've come into another part of my power. Which unfortunately seems to have the weakness of being irresistible to vampires. At least to Alice. The rest, you all witnessed.'' I finished lazily. I started feeling uncomfortable, being in Alice's room without her. Guess respecting other peoples boundaries hadn't changed in everything else that had gone down.

''What do you boys say to me kicking your asses in Tekken?'' I asked them out loud. Not that I was all that good in that particular game. I had only played it at Audrey's place, with me not owning a PS2 for myself. And I was usually the one getting my ass kicked.

''Hoho, the girl's got spunk. You're on, firebrand!'' Jasper said in response to my challenge. I would have thought it would be Emmett that would have risen up to my taunt, though he still seemed to inspect me. To see if this was a mask, to hide being hurt by this. It was nice to know I judged his character correctly, as a protector. But right now it was kind of annoying. I'd have to speak with him in private later.

''After you, big guy.'' I told him, prodding his ribs with my fingers. Though it didn't cause the reaction a human would have, he tried to mimic it. To humor me. He still looked concerned, but he relented and we all migrated downstairs. Leaving the room that now held some reverence to me, behind. I just hope it doesn't become a blemish on things to come, between me and the little pixie.

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

We were met downstairs with Esme holding a plate filled with food. Eggs and bacon, and lots of it, just how I like it. I impulsively jumped in for a hug, making her nearly loose the plate. Good thing she was a vampire.

''We're going to the hospital for a while. Think you kids will manage not to bring the house down while we're gone?'' Esme said with a teasing smile. A chorus of yes' was emitted by the boys as they headed straight for the living room. I just nodded, my mouth already filled with food.

The sound of the gravel being disturbed met my ears around the time I managed to find a seat in the corner of the couch. Emmett wasn't too happy that I was busy stuffing my face instead of playing him, but he got over it.

The first match wasn't even over, before I knew I'd get trounced by all three of them at this game. It was Jasper versus Emmett. They were going to show me how it was done, by their own words. And I knew I'd be horrible, going up against it. But I'll be damned if I wouldn't give it my best shot regardless.

I noticed Edward's mouth curl up into a crooked smile shortly after. Probably listening in on me, I'd bet.As I ate, the question I didn't want to think of crossed my mind. _Did everyone know?_ I wasn't sure if I wanted to know either way. Would it make me understand the actions of the rest of the Cullen's more? Probably. But would it help any?

If perhaps they all knew, could that be a contributing factor to them taking so long to come to a conclusion, that ended up with them having to saving my life from the shifters? Or the fact that Edward was so hung up on the fact that I would try to hurt them. If I indeed was her mate, that probably wouldn't have been much of an issue.

In light of that, I guess I knew the answer. But they had taken me in anyway. Protected me from people that would have tried to force their misguided sense of justice out on others, with deadly consequences. Let me into their homes, and their lives, merely on hope. And the convincing efforts of one short little pixie, undoubtedly.

Emmett hollered in triumph, having beaten Jasper two to one. With a smirk, he took the controller from the loser and tossed it to me. ''You're on Bella-bear.'' Emmett taunted, and I couldn't help but smile at his antics.

He genuinely didn't care that I wasn't Alice's mate. He had gotten to know me, the same as I had gotten to know them. And he had decided that I was worth spending time with. It brought me joy, considering that. But what would happen if one day, Alice's mate _did_ show up? I would like to think that it wouldn't affect anything, but that would be naive in the extreme. Not that dwelling on it would help.

So I focused on the characters I could pick from. Emmett immediately picked Jin, which Audrey had explained to me, was the most overpowered character in the game. Either he felt intimidated by my previous challenge, or he wanted to prove a point. In any case, I wasn't one to choose character based on how powerful they were. I opted to go with the one I felt suited me. So I went with the cyborg, Bryan Fury.

There was something about his calculating brutality that resonated with me. Not that it helped any, as Emmett whopped my ass. Without me being able to even get in a single hit. ''That's complete bullshit! My leg was literally INSIDE your face when you grabbed me!'' I yelled out, the sore loser in me shining through.

''Get schooled, punk!'' Emmett jeered, pointing one of his overgrown fingers at me. I felt my eyes lighting up, and was pleasantly rewarded with him backing off. As the match resumed for the second round, he was a little less brutal with me. I got in a nice combo, though I suspect he let me. There was certainly enough time for him to react.

Still, I was beat again, ending the match. ''Boom! And the crowd goes wild!'' He shouted, tossing his controller to Jasper. His hoarse whispers of his own name, as if it was chanted by a crowd, being uttered as he took a lap around the room, his hands up in the air. What a complete muppet. It was kind of adorable though, even with as mad as I felt.

I huffed and crossed my arms, grumbling to myself. The big oaf noticed, and walked up behind me. ''Aww, come on Bella-bear. It's just a game.'' He said to placate me, his giant cold hands descending on my shoulders.

''I ought to kick your ass in real life.'' I muttered back. Really, it was _just_ a game? What about my pride? What about my self-esteem? Surely he must know what it felt like to lose to filthy cheaters choosing overpowered characters.

His head lowered to where he was right beside me. I refused to look at him, in my anger, but that would prove to be a mistake. ''My wife would take offense to me wrestling naked ladies.'' He whispered. How infuriating. And true. How absolutely embarrassing.

My eyes returned to normal, as my blush proceeded to light up instead. Emmett just chuckled, massaging my shoulders gently. I hadn't realized how tense I had been before now, as I moaned in response. I craned my neck to the side and was rewarded with a loud popping sound, making bright spots appear in my vision.

''So, naked wrestling huh, husband mine?'' I heard Rosalie's voice ring out from behind us. By the sound of it, it was only good-natured teasing, though Emmett did release his grip on me rather quickly.

''Whipped.'' Jasper taunted as she walked up to Emmett. Her hand cupped his cheek and he smirked, finally seeing the mood she was in. She leaned up to his face, faking him out from a kiss, instead going to whisper into his ear. Not that there was anyone that didn't hear it in the entire house.

''But we all know Bella bats for the other team.'' Her silky tones eliciting shivers down my spine, and making alarm bells to go off. Before I could move away, she had replaced Emmett's previous position. Her hands, being a lot smaller, focused the pressure a lot better.

I was nothing more than putty in her hands, as her magic fingers unraveled all the tension the past couple of weeks had built up. ''Isn't that right sweetie?'' Her silky voice right next to my ear, the cold air flowing down my neck. By brain just shut down. I moaned and mumbled an incoherent response, melting into the couch from her ministrations. I think I actually blacked out for a second, as when I came back to my senses, Rosalie was leaning into my side. She had taken my controller, and was creaming Jasper in a Jin mirror match-up.

I sat there dumbfounded for a few minutes, just trying to get to grips with everything. I felt like my body was made of jello, and couldn't find the will to move at all. I was tingly all over, and more than content with just sitting there for the rest of time. If not for the treacherous pulsing between my legs. And the horrifying suspicion that everyone in the room probably knew.

''This is so unfair.'' I grumbled indignantly. It made the firm body next to me shake with quiet laughter, and her eyes to fall on me. She kept clicking the controller without looking at the screen, and still won.

''How so?'' Rosalie asked smugly. I had to turn off my second sight for my brain not to tempt me more. She was just too much for me to handle right now.

''I'm weak to vampires, and it doesn't go the other way around.'' I bemoaned, throwing my hands up as far as I could. Which wasn't very far at all. Rosalie actually chuckled at that, with a knowing smile.

''I think you'll come to see that differently in the future.'' She teased, before looking back to the screen. It was Emmett's turn to fight her next, and again it was a mirror match-up of Jin's. Though this time she didn't have it as easy. Emmett won the first round by a tiny margin.

It made Rosalie sit up and concentrate more on the next one, though how that helped a vampire any, I couldn't tell. The second round went to her by a large margin, to the combined frustration of all the boys. It would seem she was the reigning champion among those present, though I hadn't seen Edward play. Could be that he had gone while I was out.

The final round ended up being a nail-biter, with both of them down to the tiniest bit of health, trying to get in a sneaky low-kick between blocks. The timer almost ran out by the time Rosalie managed to fake him out with a throw, instead of a punch.

I tried my best to clap for her, as the rest of the boys groaned. Then she took the controller from Emmett and handed it to me with a smirk.

''He kicked my ass without being able to land a single hit. No way.'' I said, refusing to accept it from her hands. Edward booed me for some reason, which struck me as vaguely insulting. _What had you done to have a say in this, you twat?_

''I'll go easy on you pussums.'' Rosalie cooed. Yeah sure, go easy on me. As if that would ever be true when it came to these rascals. And what did that even mean, pussums? ''I won't even pick a good character.'' She added. Not like that would make any bit of difference.

It was the taunting of Emmett that riled me up enough to bother to go through with the face, taking the controller, picking Bryan again. Rosalie picked King, which wasn't that bad, though I never could get over the jaguar mask myself. Just too impersonal.

The first round started off uncharacteristically well for me, as I managed to chip her down to about half her hit-points without taking damage. She just kept trying to grapple me, which I managed to stay away from. At first. And then I learned what she was trying to do.

''What the fuck?'' I asked, gaping as she proceeded to rip my poor character apart. There couldn't possibly be a bone in my poor cyborgs body that wasn't broken by the time she was done. When I finally got to stand back up, I was already close to knocked out. A flying kick later and it was over.

I just stared at Rosalie, who was laughing her ass off. ''That's just cruelty to small animated pixels!'' I said in jest, though I did just drop my controller into her lap and tried to leave before the second round even started.

Emphasis on tried, as when I tried to take a step, my legs just gave up. Emmett had to catch me, which made me blush up again. Gosh darn overpowered vampires. It wasn't fair. His mouth started parting to speak, but I fixed a vengeful glare at him, which shut him up.

Having been helped up, I tried to take smaller steps this time. Stumbling my way to the stairs, I got the first few steps under me, before a figure appeared at my side without a sound. I would have jumped in surprise, if not for my current lack of motor function.

''Can I help you, Edward?'' I asked, my tone probably tinted by the frustration of my situation. He stood beside me with a look of concern, which didn't help things. I don't want to be coddled, or for someone to feel pity for me. Although, in a sense, that was a lie.

''I wanted to ask if you would accompany me to the second floor.'' He replied curtly, his voice clipped as if he was struggling to not speak as he wanted to. It struck me that his concern was probably ingrained in him from when he was young. Growing up in a time, in which society would expect you to act like a gentleman at all times, would probably be hard to unlearn. Not to mention that he probably heard me thinking negatively towards that kind of response.

What does that tell me about Edward though, that he would curb his actions by the thoughts of the recipient. Was it that he didn't want to cause offense, or was it to manipulate? He had struck me as arrogant, and gullible. But he had never actually been mean, in the sense that he hadn't ever caused unjust harm or conflict. He always had good reasons behind his actions.

He was also apparently impatient, as he got tired of waiting for me to make up my mind, and just stood beside me. Calmly waiting for me to keep walking. Without hint of trying to render aid, or annoyance at me lack of moving. I started to clamor my way further, debating with myself how much I valued my pride, with him matching my every step.

It must feel awful, to be limited like that with how you get to voice your opinion. To be so confined that you feel like you don't get to have a say in the matter. But was that due to his upbringing, or his powers? Either way, it couldn't be good for your mental health. I don't want him to feel like he has to walk on eggshells around me.

''Would you mind giving me a hand?'' I asked, feeling my mind clear up some. He held out his arm for me to hold onto without complaint, and without trying to increase my pace any further than I was able. I noted that he didn't seem as soft to the touch as Alice did. His skin was hard and unyielding. Again, my mind takes me places it shouldn't.

''I'm sorry for being a hassle. And please don't hold back on my account.'' He nods curtly, but does not voice anything else. _If you're really stuck having to listen to my mind run circles around itself Edward, it's only fair if you get to speak whatever is on your mind back to me._ This time he actually turns to look at me, but again, not a word.

It's not until we reach the second floor that he speaks. ''Wait here.'' It's all he says, as he blurs away into the corridor, and into one of the rooms. I only have to wait for a few seconds, holding onto the railing, before he returns.

''You're going to have to start your contact list all over again, seeing as your SIM card didn't make it. You will need to get in touch with your service provider to get a replacement, though you can feel free to use the one already installed in the meantime.'' He said, holding out a phone in his hand.

I stared at him for a few seconds, trying to make out if this was a joke. It must be, right? We've barely even spoken since they learned what I was, and now he was trying to hand me something worth a lot of money. Just wha-...

''Fair point, but this is not a joke. And with regards to the monetary value, don't think much of it. We've literally got dozens of these lying about, as we tend to break them regularly.'' Edward says dismissively, pushing the phone further towards me. Part of me want to dismiss his lack of concern, even if I can understand why it might be an honest indifference on his part. Perhaps it's the blow to my pride that is the main reason for my hesitatio-...

''Think of it as a bribe, for continuing to keep our secret.'' He chuckled, a crooked grin now adorning his face. He's amused. And a lot more obvious about using his powers. Guess I kinda asked for that. ''The irony of the situation is not lost on me.'' Edward tipped the phone up and down, and I begrudgingly accepted it.

''Guess I gotta come up with an excuse for Charlie.'' I huffed. This day was just getting better and better. How to trick a cop into _not_ interrogating his daughter after destroying her phone _and_ being given a new one.

''My advice would be to keep it simple. Now, would you like me to help you up to Alice's room?'' Edward asked, holding out his hand for me to grab onto again. I don't take it, and instead pocket the new phone, while forcing my pride back for a little while.

''No, I'm good. Thanks though. For the help, and the phone.'' I said, feeling out the strength in my legs again. It seemed to be getting better, slowly. Edwards nodded once before he left, heading back into the corridor. I stumbled my way upstairs to Alice's room. And when I got there, I was reluctant to go in.

I almost turned back around, to stumble my way back downstairs to ask if there was a toilet that wasn't just Alice's. But I'd just hurt myself trying, so with a sigh I went in. I hadn't actually realized it earlier when I was here, most of the far wall was all glass. It was only now, that the light had finally started filtering through the trees that I noticed. There was even a small balcony. It would probably serve as a nice personal entrance to vampires.

Going into the bathroom I was enveloped my a heady scent that could only be Alice. It was thick in the air, and made me tingle all over again. It wasn't until I managed to splash some water in my face that I got a grip. I had to be quick about my business, so I wouldn't just pass out right there. Perhaps lying down on the bed after wasn't a much better choice.

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

I woke to Alice lying on her side, facing me. Her eyes scanned mine as I woke up, and I noticed they were only slightly dilated now. I also took note of how close she was to me. The fact that my arms were wrapped around her waist might have something to do with that. But I didn't mind. I just smiled.

Not even when the sensation in the rest of my body came back to me, and I felt my leg wrapping over hers did I mind. Or the feeling of her clothes pressing against my flesh. I just wanted to close my eyes and go back to sleep.

''We need to talk.'' Alice said, breaking the silence. But none of us moved. I didn't want to bring up any unpleasantries right now, though I knew we had to.

''I know.'' I relented, untangling my limbs from her. ''What strikes you as the most important topic?'' I asked, trying to feel her out. There were several things that could be on her mind, though I suspect the main one would be the 'wanting desperately to bite me' bit.

''How do you feel?'' She asked, keeping it vague. There was no clear emotions to see in her, which left it somewhat open. Do I go with teasing her about Rosalie's magic fingers reducing me to putty? Or do I stay focused on us right now, on this bed?

''Tired.'' I opted to respond as vague as she had. I wasn't the one holding my feelings in at the moment. Alice was the one that needed to open up.

''Of?'' She answered simply. Okay, now I was just starting to feel annoyed.

''Of you beating around the bush.'' I said, raising my voice slightly. She flinched in surprise, closing her eyes. Wait. ''What's wrong?'' I asked calmly, confused. She should have seen that coming. Right?

''I'm not sure.'' She answered, shifting to lie on her back, looking up to the ceiling. I did the same. Maybe it would help if seemed less personal. Easier to speak frankly that way. ''My visions are gone.'' She whispered. Why did she whisper? I stretched out my senses, trying to find the rest of the Cullen's. Only Rosalie was still in the house, back down in the garage. The rest were out of my range. Was she trying to hide the fact from the rest of them? Why?

''Where is everyone?'' I asked. Had she asked them to leave, or did they leave on their own?

''Rosalie told me they went hunting. She mentioned something about being sore losers?'' Alice responded, and this revealed somewhat how dependent she was on her power. How blind she must feel now.

''She beat them in Tekken.'' I said, to fill her in on the reason behind it. She just hummed in response. Probably wasn't an uncommon occurrence. ''Your hunt went well?'' I asked nonchalantly, as if I didn't know she'd killed one, if not several animals while she had been gone. It was a necessary evil, but it still saddened me.

''It was okay. I found a bear to sate my thirst.'' She responded in kind. I did a double-take, turning to look at her with wide eyes. This little thing fought a bear? And won? Who was I kidding, of course she won. She was a vampire. Still, her fighting a bear must have looked comical. Or brutal. Poor bear.

When the shock wore off, I fell onto my back again. ''Has it ever been gone before?'' I asked in a quiet voice, hoping Rosalie wouldn't hear us.

''Never.'' Was her instantaneous response. Okay. Well that _is_ kind of concerning. On the other hand, it's a blessing, right? This way she can experience what everyone else does with having to choose what to say. And being blind to what the response would be. After a century of _knowing_ , this must be kinda tough though.

''When did it stop?'' I asked her, trying to piece it together. There was certainly one factor that I suspect would have a part to play, namely myself. But it could have disappeared earlier for all I knew.

''I only really noticed it after I left the house. Do you think it's permanent?'' Alice asked rapidly, turning to look at me. I met her gaze slowly, hoping not to rile her up further.

''I don't know. But I suspect it was kind of my fault. Perhaps a reaction to whatever that blue cloak of mine did to you?'' I responded with a question, hoping to reason with her. There was no reason to panic just yet. A chuckle forced its way past my lips, almost making me spit on Alice. The question was evident on her face. ''Just that, if you were a guy, I'd ask if it might just be performance issues.'' I explained. She did not think it was funny, if her deadpan stare was anything to go by.

She looked back up to the roof, quiet for a moment. The mood stilled, and turned somber. ''We should talk about what happened.'' Alice spoke gravely. So visions weren't that important. She wanted to go through with this talk anyway. She's got guts. Not that I didn't know that from before. But sometimes it's nice to be reminded.

''Yes we should. What did it feel like to you, when I lit up?'' I asked her, genuinely curious about how she perceived the ordeal.

''Like nothing I've ever experienced.'' Alice said, before becoming still like a statue. Then slowly, her lips started moving, but she uttered no words. Was she remembering the moment? I thought vampires had perfect memories? Why would she freeze up like this?

''And?'' I prodded, and she came back to reality with a start, gazing at me for a moment before looking to the roof again.

''It wasn't a thirst for your blood, or a scent in the air, though both may have been a factor. I wanted to drink your blood, but not to sate my thirst. It was more like a sensation of... lust. A want to experience you in every way I could. It felt quite... overwhelming.'' Alice said in a low husky whisper, which certainly had an effect on me.

I had to swallow those feelings for now though. It was hard enough to stay on topic as is. ''So not as much a weakness as an inconvenience then. Good to know.'' I responded, having cleared my throat first. The confused look on her face reemerged again. She looked kinda cute like that. ''I thought it might have been a weakness, the cloak making vampires desperate to chew my face off.''

''It's not a joke, Bella!'' Alice protested vehemently, glaring in my direction. I met her gaze with a soft, understanding one. I knew she'd feel this way. But there was no reason to.

''I know Alice. But it only happened when I went blue. So I'll just not do that anymore, and it won't be an issue. It's just growing pains. We can adapt.'' I replied calmly. It seemed to ease her concern, as she settled back to looking at the roof.

''I do have a question I really want to ask you though.'' I said, waiting for a response, though none came at first. Had her powers come back?

''What?'' Alice asked shortly after. So probably no powers. Just expected me to continue without prompt. Or was I overthinking things again? I always do that. I almost wanted to meet her gaze, as she turned to look at me. But I wouldn't have dared ask if I did.

''Why _have_ you been flirting with me, if I'm not your mate?'' The question was met with an uncomfortable silence. She even turned to look away from me, towards the door. A small fear she might run, rather than answer the question crept up in my mind, though there was no movement.

Had this moment been upon me just a few days ago, I'd probably think she had just been stringing me along. But I didn't want to doubt like that anymore. I knew Alice wouldn't do that to me. She was taking an awfully long time to answer however.

''It's... complicated.'' Was her meek response, and it made me want to facepalm. Where had her guts gone? Out the window?

''It probably isn't. Just start at the beginning.'' I coaxed, focusing on resisting the urge to turn to her.

''The beginning. Right.'' She started, before taking an unnecessary breath to calm herself. ''A little over eleven years ago, I started having visions more obtuse than normal. I could rarely make out the shape of a person, though most times it was just darkness. And feelings. Mostly hope and joy, though it varied.'' Alice explained, stuttering uncharacteristically often. From how she described it, I immediately knew that I was the dark spot. She'd said so herself, the first time I understood she could see the future. Had she been waiting for me for this long? I must have been what, six?

''I had Edward help me try to make sense of them, and he identified the surroundings to be from Forks. But he still couldn't help me figure out who it was about, or how the visions were connected to me. They just kept coming, and there was nothing I could do to stop them. The more I tried, the worse my headaches got. I relied heavily on Jasper at first, to ease my feelings. But the more he used his powers to make the feelings go away, the dirtier I felt for allowing it.'' She huffed after explaining that bit, and I felt guilty for having indirectly causing her those problems. I wanted to try to apologize, but she continued before I did.

''Anyway, I ended up having to let it happen. However grumpy it made me at first, I could see only disaster if I tried to interact with you prematurely. After a few months the scenery changed to a desert, and the visions came less frequently. At first I was relieved, before I started missing them. And by then, I had no idea where you were. The first few summers I would start to see you more often again, when you were back in Forks. You really messed me up, you know that?'' Alice joked that last bit, turning to me with a silly grin. I could only blush with embarrassment.

''Anyway, our time in Denali was cut short due to our numbers, so we had to move. I could see Carlisle and Esme thinking about where we should go next, and that Forks was on the short-list. I desperately wanted to go there, hoping I would find you when I did. But I refrained from interfering, fearing affecting the outcome, would change whatever strings of fate wanted to bring us together. I even had to go as far as to... incapacitate Edward, while they made their choice.'' She laughed darkly, and I felt sorry for whatever he had to endure. Then again, he would have probably mucked it up somehow if she hadn't done something.

''We ended up coming here of course, but you were nowhere to be found. You were still surrounded by desert, and seemingly happy for it. Time passed. Years. And then in a flurry of visions, several a day, you were suddenly here.'' Alice ended with a sigh, and a brilliant smile. ''I guess that's a really long-winded way of telling you, I've been waiting for you.''

''… That _is_ complicated.'' I acquiesced, still somewhat shocked. Alice's soothing laughter erupted, seemingly lighting up the room. It took me a few more seconds to compute everything. To know that Alice had waited for me, wanted me, for so many years... It helped strip a way a feeling of inadequacy in me, with their inhuman beauty and insane abilities. ''Then why didn't you speak to me first, instead of Rosalie?'' I asked her, confused about the turn of events that had transpired.

''I didn't know it was you, at first. Or that you were supernatural. That time in the cafeteria, I didn't know who I was looking for. I just knew you were somewhere in the building. It wasn't until I saw a dark spot throwing Rosalie into the wall, that I knew it was you.'' Alice explained, sounding like an apology. It didn't register that I had sounded accusatory in my question.

''And all the interactions since then? Guessing what you were, making the pact with your family, saving my life, up until tonight? All to avoid me running for the hills?'' I asked, though I practically knew it to be true after her lengthy explanation. A simple nod was all I got for an answer.

''But we're linked for some reason. So how do you know we're not mates?'' I pressed, feeling a dangerous tint of hope, though I kept it at bay. It was an attractive thought, to be bound with someone for life. It would answer one of life's many questions. It would negate the fear of being alone. But it meant taking away my choice in who to love. For that, I'd rather choose freedom. Yet, we were linked. Somehow.

''Because of the argument we had, the second day. And the fact that up until this morning, there was still a chance you'd 'run for the hills' as you put it.'' Alice said pensively.

''Then does being mates bring about a compulsion, to never disagree?'' I asked, wanting to know more about it's details. To see if I could find any similarities, or warning signs. I had questioned free will before, in regard to her visions. Doubted it even, yet I clung to it. I desperately want free will to exist. To know that I had agency in the path my life would take. But didn't her visions of me negate that. Or would she have had visions of me until the day I eventually died, if we hadn't ever met?

''From what they've told me, they feel so in sync in how they see the world, that they never come to a disagreement. If it's somehow compulsory, like a subconscious force, it's hard to tell. Circumstantial evidence might hint to it, but there is no conclusive evidence, or consensus among most vampires. The vampires I know that have met their mate, never question the reason.''Alice reasoned conspiratorially, turning to look at me.

''Am I understanding it right, that you disapprove of the concept?'' She asked me with what I think was levity. Again, I met her gaze and smiled which she reciprocated.

''I think I'd enjoy life more, if I knew I could choose for myself.'' I answered her, not saying the words, but sort of saying it all the same. ''So. What do vampires like to do on dates?'' Her smile grew with my question, and the heavy atmosphere in the room seemed to lift.

''Well, for traditional vampire dates, there would mostly be hunting. But seeing how nontraditional we're being.'' She said, winking at me slyly. ''Perhaps going to see a fashion show in France?'' It was accentuated with her sticking a tiny part of her tongue out between her teeth.

I laughed at her silly example, but played along. ''If that's all, then you might have to wait a few more years for me. I'll hit you up when I'm a millionaire, 'kay?'' I joked. We both erupted in jovial laughter which had me struggling to breathe.

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

We had ended up with the idea of watching a movie next friday. We had yet to decide what we would watch, but there was time to figure it out later. After that we ended up discussing what kind of music that we liked, and who our favorite artists were. I was kind of surprised that Alice was more into techno and electronica than the rest of her family. The way she described it was that whatever made her want to move her body, and specifically dance, was good. I decided against pointing to the fact that you can dance to almost anything.

It ended up with an exhibition, where Alice put on some upbeat music I hadn't heard before, and started dancing around the room. I didn't dare join her, for fear of embarrassing myself. But the way she swayed her hips gave me the distinct impression she would quite literally dance the pants off of me.

By the time the track ended, the new phone went off in an unfamiliar tune. Charlie called, having gotten the number from Carlisle, and asked if I would be coming home for dinner. It wasn't until then that I noticed the time, being five in the afternoon. I didn't want to impose any further on Esme, though I had no doubt she wouldn't mind. So we ended up leaving, Alice intent on sticking with me for as long as possible. I did get a chance to see Rosalie with engine grease smeared on her perfect face though, as we went to say goodbye. She didn't seem to mind it. She seemed more interested by the fact that me and Alice was holding hands.

I only ever let go of her when I had to switch gears while driving, and even then I felt reluctant. It was nice to be accompanied on the way home, and her singing along to the tunes that I played raised my spirits even higher. Only to crash down when my house came into sight. Pacing outside was the shivering form of one Jacob Black.

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 **AN: Happy new years people. Remember not to make any resolutions you can't stick to! :P**

 **And as always, feel free to tell me if there was something you disagree with, or that didn't feel right.**

 **Ps. This chapter has been updated after release, as I managed to drop the ball when it came to the phone being destroyed. I apologize for the lack of scrutiny on my part.**


	20. Welcome to the Club

**AN: Well that's another long one down, and we're getting closer to where I want to be. Just a reminder for those of you who read this one chapter at a time, it's still sunday at this point in the story. It's been a long day for Bella. :)**

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 **Deadly Affection – Reimagined**

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of it's characters. I just make them do silly stuff.

 **Chapter 20: Welcome to the Club**

 **Bella PoV**

Jake waited patiently as we parked, and as I killed the engine, Alice's hand folded gently over mine.

''You shouldn't talk to him.'' She whispered, her eyes pleading. The notion that she wanted me not to speak with my friend rubbed me the wrong way, but with her visions gone she was probably just being extra cautious.

''He's my friend Alice. And I promised him an explanation.'' I said back, trying to make the empathy I felt for her situation clear. The sad smile I got in return made me want to side with her. To just start the car again, and leave. Jake wouldn't just be standing out here looking like he's about to freeze to death without care for how long it would take. He would have knocked on the door and spoken to Charlie, which means my dad was in on this. It was essentially a trap to get me to talk to him, even though I didn't actually have anything against it. But I would have liked a heads-up all the same.

''Are you sure?'' Alice asked quietly, searching my expression. The question was a good one, from the perspective of a freak telling her friend of what was wrong with her. But Jake was going to part of our world whether we like it or not. I pulled the key out gently, letting her hand fall off mine.

''He saw my eyes, down at the rez. And I can _see_ that he will become a shifter. By being open and honest with him, I hope that will make it possible for him to trust us.'' I reasoned with her. Alice nodded in response, before we both stepped out of the car. She danced her way to my side and grabbed my hands before we stepped towards the shivering boy.

''Hey Jake.'' I greeted as we walked up to him, but he scooted back as soon as we got near. He was scared of me. It was a reasonable reaction I guess, with what he had seen. I don't know how I would have reacted, if our roles were reversed.

''Hello Bella. Oh and a Cullen. Of course, this is just getting better and better.'' He mumbled through his chattering teeth. I let my senses expand to encompass the immediate area, thinking he might actually be here as an ambush. But there were no wolves nearby, and Charlie was alone in the house.

''Are you okay Jake? You look like you're freezing. Do you want to come inside?'' I asked politely, though I had my suspicions he wasn't in his right mind at the moment. I peered at the little blue seed inside him, trying to note any difference from last time. I couldn't be sure, but it might be just a little bit bigger. The strange pulling sensation came to my mind again. It was... louder now. But I knew to resist it.

Words are spoken, but it sounds like I'm under water. There are tones, some sharper and some deeper, but I can't make them out. It feels... like danger. A weapon. But it's not ready. It's too soon. Pulling back makes my knees buckle, but Alice catches me effortlessly. Her eyes are searching, trying to figure out what just happened. But I'm more focused on the fact that the seed in Jake's chest is sentient. Or at least has some measure of awareness.

''I'm fine, just-'' Jake's words are cut off by coughing loudly. First just once, then a few more times. His hand comes up and he punches himself in the chest, as if that's going to help. I can see what really caused it. The seed is growing. Cracks form in it's shell, and tendrils are pushing out from it's core. And the surrounding area in his chest grows duller, as it absorbs his energy. Why in the world would it do that? And what caused it?

''Alice, has Carlisle ever said anything about how the shifters come about? Or what causes the change in particular?'' I ask her, with Jake now bending over in a fit of coughs.

''He's speculated that it's some sort of natural defense that triggers the change when there are vampires nearby. Both times they've moved here, the shifters has popped up shortly after.'' Alice responds, looking to Jake. ''Do you think that's what's happening?''

''The seed is stealing energy from his body to grow more rapidly.'' I said out loud, hating having to ask this right now. ''Could you try to leave for a bit? If only just to test the theory.''

Alice, to her credit, only nods before she takes off into the darkness. I would have to apologize for that later, but first I needed to check if it worked. There was still movement in there. But it slowed down, and his coughs with it. I walked up to his side and placed a hand on his back, rubbing it. I didn't really know why, it wouldn't do anything. I debated if I should try to push some energy into him, to see if that could help, but quickly decided against it. The bark in the tree I tried that on had been peeled off. I didn't want to do the same to Jake.

''Come on, we should go inside.'' I said to him, as he starts getting up. He doesn't flinch from the proximity, though he takes a look around to make sure Alice isn't around. Wait, since when was he taller than me? He had been shorter than me when I was down at his place, right?

I more or less herded him into the house, telling him we could talk up in my room. And while at first he protested, he didn't have much strength left to stop me. His aura seemed to grow back to it's usual luminescence by the time we were upstairs, so the test could only be called a success. I sent a text to Alice to explain that, and that I would call her when Jake's gone. But from the three plates Charlie had placed on the table downstairs, that would be a while.

''How do you feel? Any better?'' I asked Jake as he sat down at the end my bed. I could still see he was cold, simply by the color of his lips. So I went to my chair and grabbed the blanket I had bought yesterday, and tossed it to him. He started unfolding it immediately, and wrapped it around himself.

''It still hurts, but not as much now. What happened?'' He responded hoarsely. That was surely the question, wasn't it. How in hell did the seed do that?

''I don't actually know. I've got to talk to my dad for a minute. I'll be right back.'' I said with a gentle smile. He nodded and huddled the blanket closer.

Charlie was standing in the kitchen when I found him, just as he turned on the stove. I leaned against the doorframe and cleared my throat, with an accusatory look directed at him.

''What?'' He asked innocently. I just nodded my head up to the left, in the direction of my room. ''What?'' He asked again, this time with a little more force. Did he really not get it? Well it's not like he knows me and Jake are going to be on opposite sides in the future, but still.

''Was Jake the reason you called?'' I said to make the point clear. His mustache twitched as he scratched the back of his head. But he didn't look guilty.

''He said it had to be a secret, or else he would get in trouble.'' Charlie explained, though it left a lot more questions in it's wake. Why would it have to be a secret from me? Jake had come to see me, so why not.. Unless it had to be a secret from the Cullen's, which could probably explain his reaction to seeing Alice. Would it be ridiculous to presume he was the one that initiated the dinner plans as well? He would know they don't eat, if he knows they're vampires. Or maybe he was just suspicious, as he didn't react _that_ poorly to seeing Alice. A more pressing question came to mind.

''And you let him stand outside in the cold? He's probably going to be sick from the looks of it. And how did he even get here?'' My voice was probably a little more hostile than it should have been. Charlie didn't have anything to do with that world, so I couldn't blame him for it.

''He refused to stay inside after I'd called you. And he wasn't very talkative to start with. I didn't want to assume, but I guessed it might have something to do with what happened a few weeks ago. And if so, I'm not going to butt in.'' Charlie said with an air of finality. He was right of course, though that wouldn't explain why he'd set a third plate. Unless that was just in hope it could be for some other reason. And really dad, did you think I'd ever hook up with my childhood friend like that?

''Next time just tell me. Please.'' I said trying to make nice, even though I felt a little angry. His demeanor softened up quickly, as he turned to the stove again.

''I will, Bells. And please tell Jacob he's welcome to dinner. Should be ready in about fifteen minutes.'' Dad said, taking a sip of his beer.

Frustration that the baggage I had brought with me from Phoenix was hurting my relationship with my dad almost made me want to curse out loud. It would have been cathartic at the very least. I had to push those thoughts out as I walked back up to my room, greeted by Jake literally shaking on top of my bed.

I rushed over to him and felt his forehead. He was burning with fever, and I could see why. While I had been downstairs, the seed had pressed tendrils further into his body. Several of them were going up to his neck at this point.

''Jake! Hang in there dude!'' I said, trying to think of what I could do. This wasn't something that could be sweated out, so covering him up more wouldn't help. How had I not seen this happening while I was downstairs. I was such a moron.

The seed needed energy, and it was draining it from his body. I could try to feed it some of my own, if only I knew that wouldn't hurt him. The cloak was corrosive, or something to that effect when I touched things, so if I pressed that into his body, there was no telling the damage it could cause. Even if it worked, then what? Would he turn into a giant wolf in my room? I hadn't even gotten to tell him anything yet!

The blue cloak didn't seem corrosive. And it would at least protect me. But what would the reaction of a shifter be to that? It didn't have the best result with vampires. With the way his energy was diminishing, I didn't know if I had time to figure it out. What I could control was where this happened, and who could see it.

So I focused on the calming presence of blue energy inside me, feeling it strengthen my body. ''We're going to have to go outside. Just hang in there.'' I said to him, grabbing his hand and putting it around my neck. He grunts as I pick him up, and I noticed just how warm his body was as it's pressed against me.

I take each step down the stairs with caution, not wanting to end up hurting either of us. Though from my gut feeling, I could have just jumped down without a care. Jake wasn't as sturdy at the moment.

''Dad! Call Billy.'' I ordered, not stopping on my trek towards the front door. Charlie comes jogging out of the kitchen as I get to it, and I turn to speak. ''I can't explain. But it's imperative that you do not come after us! Tell Billy to get here. And to bring one of his friends. He'll understand.'' With that, I yank the door open with a little too much force, and head out towards the forest behind the house.

For the first few seconds Charlie just stands there in surprise, but I see him pick out his phone before I round the corner. And while I'm careful to not go to far so that I wouldn't have lost sight of the house, I get surprised by how much further I can _see_. There are details to everything that I hadn't noticed before. The lines in the bark is visible, while before they were just a single light.

But that's for another time. Jake needs me right now. I place him down to the forest floor, leaning against a tree. The blanket is made a complete mess with twigs and debris sticking to it, but he holds onto it for dear life.

''Jake? Can you understand me?'' I ask him, trying to get him to focus on me. He mumbles something that I can't make out, but he keeps his eyes closed. It might be rude to do, but I smack his cheek once, being careful with the amount of force applied. He winces and blinks in response. ''Jake! Please, you need to listen to me!'' I yell at him, and he twitches from the sound.

''I-I'm s-s-so co-old.'' He whimpers through his chattering teeth. One of his eyes managed to focus on me, the other still closed. Man, this whole shifter thing is nasty.

''Listen. I'm going to help you. But you need to know what to expect, okay?'' I ask him, making sure he's paying attention. He nods in response, banging his head against the tree. ''You're turning into a giant wolf in a minute. And it will probably be quite a shock to your senses. But I'm here for you, okay?''

At this, both his eyes pop open. I don't find the time to explain anymore, with how dim his energy is becoming. So I force the blue cloak to emerge and press my right hand to his chest. His eyes positively bug out, but I can't focus on that. I have to be careful.

I narrow in on the seed, and get the impression of a wounded animal. It's desperately trying to defend itself, even though its effort is what's killing its host. I try to formulate my thoughts to make it recognize my presence. But that only makes it more desperate. Closing my eyes, I try to press my energy into Jake, only to see that it forcibly presses his clothes against his chest.

I should have trained more before doing this. I don't even know how this cloak works. And how to I supply energy to something that's _inside_ another entity. Doubt racks my mind, before I notice some of it's tendrils darken. As if it's cannibalizing itself.

 _Please_ I think desperately to myself, trying once more to press my energy towards it once more. It seems to hurt Jake, as it forms a thin spike, tearing a hole through his clothes. I only stop when I see a drop of blood forming at its tip. I literally can't reach it without hurting Jake. So I flatten out the tip to where it's the size of my fist underneath his clothes. And I press once again, only to hear Jake start to wheeze.

What the fuck do I do. I can't reach it. I can't force it. Jake's energy is on par with the tree he's leaned against. But that gives me an idea. If I can't feed _it_ , I can try to feed it directly to Jake. So I focus on the feeling of when I drain something, seeing in my mind what it does. And I try to press my energy into his.

There is resistance at first, before I can see specks of blue enter his orange aura. More and more, before I notice the blue turn color. At first it's barely there, then it starts to get brighter. Then blue turns to a shade of purple. Then violet. Then Pink. And slowly it gets to the same orange that makes up Jake. And his aura brightens up a bit. His shivering slows down, and his breathing seems to come more steadily.

But then most of the tendrils of the seed darkens.

I stop pressing energy into him, as I notice it stop. Then slowly, a new tendril pushes out from the center of the seed. It looks to be searching, pressing towards the new energy it found. Towards me. I stay completely still, as it starts going faster and faster. And then the tendril touches the layer of energy I'm pressing to Jake's chest.

There's a sting of pain unlike any I've felt before, running up my arm and into my chest. It makes me exhale in pain, before I start feeling like something is burrowing into me. The tendril is pushing against the flat surface. In a panic, I push back, inadvertently hurting Jake.

It seems to get that there is no purchase to be found, so it stops. And I try again, to press some energy into it, tentatively. The resulting tug surprised me, as energy is sucked out faster than I wanted. I react by trying to tug back, and it seems to settle with what I'm giving it.

The blue tendrils all over Jake's body begins glowing again, and is spreading out faster than before. Some starts to head down towards his gut, while those in his neck continues their journey up to his brain. I only hope this won't permanently affect his personality, or worse.

Minutes pass, and Jake seems to have fallen asleep. At least he doesn't look to be in pain. The amount of energy it has consumed from me is substantial, though not enough to make me drop the cloak yet. The tendrils seem to have forced its way into every part of his body now, all the way down to his toes. It's kind of fascinating to watch. Almost like seeing a diagram of blood vessels inside a living person. I start to wonder just how long this is going to take, as it stops draining me.

I stand up and out of the way, expecting... anything really. I knew what he'd turn into, but I didn't know how it was going to happen. What I didn't expect was for his entire body to seize up, as the tendrils burst out hundreds of smaller tendrils everywhere, invading every part of his body. The blue glow turns brighter, as it absorbs all the orange energy left in him. It turns to a similar shade of icy blue that Sam had, just a few notches darker.

Then Jake started shaking violently, before with a pop, there was a giant russet wolf in his stead. All his clothes, and my fucking blanket, were torn to shreds and tossed to the wind. But he didn't move from his position, lying on his back with four furry feet in the air. And his neck seemed awkwardly angled, pressing against the tree.

Several seconds passed, and I didn't dare move a muscle. Then with a strangled huff, he rolled to the side, towards me. This let his head stretch out, and he started breathing. Or more like snoring. The silly fucker was asleep. I half wanted to go over and kick him. The other half wanted to snuggle the giant puppy.

I took stock of the surroundings, making sure we were alone. Charlie was currently sitting in the kitchen, the dinner seemingly done. But he wasn't eating. He was probably not happy. For several reasons, and I couldn't blame him for any of them. There was no other people outside of the neighbors further down the street. Billy hadn't gotten here yet. There was still time.

So I powered back down, letting the cold pressure fade away again into nothing. ''Jake?'' I said aloud, trying to wake him up. I don't think standing very close would be a good idea. It would probably be confusing enough as it is, to come to terms with what he's become. ''Jake!'' I called again, louder this time. Finally he stirred, his eyes blinking a few times, before they actually opened.

His front legs fumbled against the ground, as he tried to get up, before he fumbled and fell back to his side. Some sort of vocalization came from his muzzle, probably speech that couldn't formulate in this form. The poor boy had no idea what happened.

''It's okay Jake. I'm here.'' I said to him, and his left ear turned in my direction. Not long after, his entire gigantic head followed it, and sleepy eyes stared at me. I struggled to not laugh at the scene, but when he started trying to speak again, I just lost it. He seemed to have heard himself, as he went cross eyed, trying to look down at his now giant muzzle. ''It's okay Jake. You're a giant wolf now. Just take it slow, and get a feel for your new body.'' I managed to squeeze out between bursts of laughter.

He peered around at his body then, and seemingly surprised, started stumbling backwards as he panicked. It was bound to happen, no matter what I said or did. So I just let him take it at his own pace. Eventually he got to all four of his new feet, only to try to take a step forward with one paw, and not the corresponding one on the hind set. Which ended up with him splayed out on the ground.

There, on his stomach, he turned his giant head to me and just stared. Not that I didn't deserve the deadpan stare with how I was howling with laughter. I was having trouble staying on my feet at the moment myself. He tilted his head side to side while making some weird vocalization. Almost like he was mocking my laughter.

''I'm sorry. I real-ly sh-ouldn't laugh.'' I admit, struggling to stop. Eventually I manage to calm down enough. ''Can you understand me?'' I asked him, not knowing how this all worked. Was his mind changed to the point while being a giant wolf, to where he wouldn't understand me?

He tried to say something first, but it only came out as yips and growls. He seemed to realize the problem himself though, and shortly after he just nodded. ''Okay, so first things first. Your dad is on the way, hopefully with another shifter. I don't know much about what you are, so I'm hoping whoever comes is able to help you deal with your furry issue.'' I said, and I can see him get distressed and look around. ''Jake. Eyes on me buddy.'' The giant brown eyes are similar to his human ones, with one difference. There's a shard of blue in the iris of his right eye. Didn't know he had heterochromia. Or maybe it has something to do with what he is, who knows.

''Good. Now for some context. In case you hadn't already figured out, we're part of the supernatural world. Welcome to the club.'' Jake huffs in response, mumbling some inane noises to himself. ''The Cullen's are... Well they're vampires that feed on animals. I still don't know what I am. I manipulate energy, and harness it to do crazy shit.'' I say, and to demonstrate I let the red cloak envelop my hand briefly. ''And you're a shape-shifter. With me so far?'' Again, Jake nods. Seems kinda odd he'd take this information in so easily. Was he still in a state of shock? Or was that just a trait common to supernaturals?

''There is a pact between they Cullen's, and the other shifters down at the rez. Which now includes me, as the Cullen's took me in. And before you judge me for siding with vampires, know that your friends wanted to kill me.'' I said, waiting to see his reaction. That has to cause something, right?

It took a few seconds, but the response was undeniable, as he shot up to his feet and growled and yipped. I held up my hands to calm him down. ''It's nice to know you care Jake. Really.'' He doesn't seem to want to still, before he turns his head up to the side. I see it also, as another wolf enters the range of my vision, prowling. He's not going fast, and the reason is probably because he's following something. Protecting Billy most likely. Speaking of the devil, there he comes, in a car I haven't seen before, with another man I do not recognize.

''They're here. Look, according to the pact, you're not supposed to come here. But I'll make an exception for you, okay? I still want to be your friend. And if there is anything you want to talk about, or even if you just want to hang, you know where to find me.'' I said with conviction, walking up to him. He seemed wary when I approached, eyeing my hands when I put them out to his muzzle. But he didn't move when I hugged him.

''Now go find the other giant ass wolf. He's over there.'' I said with mirth, pointing in the direction where I saw the other shifter. Jake seems to stumble and forget which legs to move with which at first. But after ten or so steps, it seems to make sense to him, and he's off.

I really wanted to help him figure out how to turn back into a human. That way we could actually talk a little about what happened, instead of me talking _at_ him. Not that I wanted to take away from him the experience of trying out his new body. Though running on all fours would probably be a hassle at first. And I on the other hand, have to prepare to talk with Billy again. And my dad. Oh joy.

Billy and the other guy were arguing in the car as I came out of the woods. From the pointing towards the house, and the almost hostile look on the senior Black, I'd throw in a guess to say he didn't want to go talk to my dad. What the hell went down between them? I noticed that Charlie was actually looking at them from behind the curtains. I also noted the dark mass on his hip.

Billy caught sight of me just before I knocked on their window, and reacted in the way of scowling. The other guy nearly jumped in his seat when I did. Only when he turned around did I see a problem in my strategy. His gray hair should have tipped me off that he wasn't a young man, though I had thought nothing of it. He looked familiar somehow, but I couldn't place it.

Billy's eyes didn't leave me as he spoke quietly to his companion. The unknown man's brows rose in confusion, looking a bit disheveled. But not move was made to try to communicate with me. And it was seriously getting on my nerves. The scowl on my face probably didn't help matters, as I motioned a circular movement with my hand. A few seconds later, in which Billy looked angry with the other dude for doing it, the window opened. But only a gap of a few centimeters.

I so badly wanted to just flip their car into the ditch.

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I tried counting to ten in my head. I had invited them. Because I wanted to be friendly. Why did they have to be assholes. I forcibly tried to pull the anger from my face, using both hands. Looking to the old dude I didn't know, I tried my best to look amicable.

''Is this your car?'' I asked him, barely hiding the malice in my voice. Somehow, I think if I hadn't been having such a good day before all this started, my eyes would probably have been burning red.

The guy looked confused at first, looking to Billy. When he turned back, he finally answered. ''Yes.'' Should have expected it, I guess. I did have Billy's old truck. Though I'd never disparage the champ for such a reason. Poor thing couldn't control who owned it before me.

''Then I apologize in advance. And please remove your hand from the crank.'' I said, gritting my teeth all the while. As his left hand came up into view, I acted. Pushing my fingers into the crack of the window, I pressed down on the window. And with the sound of the crank spinning wildly, it descended.

I pushed it all the way down, and did not stop until the car started tilting, just for good measure.

''Now. Where were we?'' I asked in a sickly sweet tone. My eyes were fixed on Billy, who had taken to looking angry at the turn of events. And it made me feel like not giving the old shit the time of day. Who the fuck was he, getting angry?

So I looked to the older man, and felt slightly guilty for scaring him. I took a second to breathe, before I held out my hand. ''I don't believe we've been introduced. Isabella Swan.'' I said with less anger than before, waiting for him to shake.

Somehow he manages to shut his mouth, which had been hanging open for the past ten seconds. And after an internal debate, he tentatively stretches out his hand to mine. ''Harry Clearwater. We've met, many years ago.'' His voice is deep and rich. And it clicks for me.

''Leah's dad? I thought I recognized you.'' I responded, remembering the older girl from way back in the day. A smile grazed my lips, remembering those days down at the beach. It seemed like eons ago now. ''How is your daughter? Still the biggest menace in La Push?'' I tried to joke to lift the mood.

It didn't get the response I wanted. Although that was not unexpected with how I acted, I guess. ''She's... fine.'' He said stiffly, looking to Billy again. With a sigh, I did the same. The anger was still there, and I wanted to smack it off of the fool.

''Can we speak freely?'' I asked, nodding my head in the direction of Harry. All things considered, he shouldn't have come here with someone that wasn't in the know. But I can't account for what this fool does, it seems.

''Harry is on the council. He knows what's going on.'' Billy answered tersely, his voice rough. It was almost as if he was worried about something. Cute.

''So you also told him how Sam wanted to murder me, on the off chance that I might be dangerous?'' I asked Harry with a pointed look. The narrowing of his eyes confuse me at first.

''What I heard is that you said you _are_ dangerous. And that you don't know how to control yourself.'' Harry responded. I thought back to that evening, trying to remember what I had said. And I don't recall saying that I don't know how to control myself. Unless Sam inferred that from me saying I felt like I was in a trance. Which wasn't completely false.

''Give me one example of someone that's supernatural, but not dangerous.'' I challenged them, only to see Harry flinch ever so slightly. Billy's eyes just flicked to him, as if my seeing that reaction was somehow betraying information they shouldn't have shared. Really dude?

''I still don't know the full extent of what I can do. And there are instances where I feel unable to control myself. But again, give me an example of someone that doesn't ever loose it. Human or supernatural.'' The question had more shades to it than the previous. But I would bet there isn't a single person, alive or dead, that hasn't ever been so pissed off that they did something they came to regret. Or at least wanted to.

Again, there was no response to my question, which I regarded with some satisfaction. It probably wouldn't change their minds on my situation on it's own, but one could hope. ''If nothing else, take the fact that I saved Jake's life today as a sign of good will on my part.'' It surprised me, the anger that came to Billy's face as I said this. His entire face twisted from it.

''Saved?! How can you claim to have saved his life, when you kidnapped and are holding him hostage!?'' He shouted, his entire face turning red from exertion. I was a bit dumbfounded by the accusation at first, and it didn't quite compute. But when it did, all I wanted to do was to slap some sense into the fucker. That or intentionally face-plant into the hood of the truck.

Before he had the chance to reignite those pipes, I responded in a calm, yet demeaning way. ''I didn't kidnap anyone. All I did was help him survive his furry problem.'' It didn't help calm the silly coot down of course, and he seemed set to start shouting again when Harry held up his hand in front of him.

''Our people have become werewolves for generations. Never have we had anyone die from the change.'' The wiser of two said, though it felt more like a question for me to elaborate. Perhaps he wasn't as closed-minded as Billy at the very least.

I felt inclined to oblige him, as it was a valid question. Not that I would share anything the shifters could use against me. Whether any of them would believe it was another thing, but I could at least explain my side of the story. ''The symptoms was like that of a fever, though extremely pronounced to what I am familiar with. At first I just thought he'd been outside for too long, but it only got worse when Alice got close. She was driving me home from their place-'' I started explaining to them both, before Billy once again erupted.

''You better keep those filthy leeches away from my Jacob!'' He shouted till his voice gave out. I'd need an Advil and a nap if he kept up like that for much longer.

I ignored further insults and inane drivel running from his mouth and kept going. ''As I was saying, Alice drove me home as I had been at their place today. And I noticed that it affected him when she got close, so I sent her home.'' Billy started coughing from his sore throat, which stopped his tirade short, and I smiled tauntingly at his misery. ''Part of what I can do, is see energy. Like in an extra-sensory way. It looked like a seed, beside his heart. And it started growing when Alice was close, stealing energy from Jake. It slowed down when Alice left, and I thought that was that. So I took him inside because I wanted to speak with him. He had seen my eyes that day down at the rez, so I was going to explain to him what I was, because he's my friend.'' Again, I was interrupted.

''Jacob isn't frie-.'' Billy started, before violently coughing again. ''No-.'' Once more he was interrupted by his need to cough. ''Monst-.'' He now bent over, holding onto the dashboard with one hand as he coughed into the other.

Lessening the hold on my senses, I looked at him to see if there was anything I could notice. No such luck. He was the same orange as everyone else. I did notice the tiny dark spot sitting in nearly the exact same location as Jake's seed had been in though.

''You okay dude?'' I asked as Harry started to gently tap his back. Billy tries to turn to me to speak, only to keep coughing. And then I noticed the small specks of red in the palm he was coughing into. ''That's blood, man. Maybe you should see a doctor.'' I suggest, feeling a bit wary. Coughing up blood was never a good sign. If this was a cheesy chick-flick, that would suggest he's got lung cancer or something. I just hope that's just in the movies.

''Look, Jake's okay. There's nothing to stress out about. He's over there, playing with your other shifter.'' I said, worried I might have exacerbated some illness, pointing towards where the two wolves had been previously. Only to realize there is only one there now. Jake, who is looking in our direction. The other one is in his human form, currently sprinting our way. He looks shorter than Sam, though still quite bulky in terms of mass.

''Is he sick, Harry?'' I asked him, trying to alleviate the gnawing of guilt forming in my stomach. I never get an answer, as Harry starts hitting him harder on the back. It seems to be working, as the coughs start becoming less frequent by the time the shifter shows up.

''What's up Harry?'' The boy ask, and it's only when I hear his voice that I know it's a boy. He can't be much older than Jake by my reckon. Seems being a shifter made you jacked up on 'roids in the muscle department only.

I'm not sure I should feel insulted by his blatant lack of respect for me, as he didn't even spare me a glance when I stood aside for him. I don't know what his relationship with Billy is. But they better be damn close. Like... godfather close.

''Might be nothing to worry about Jared. He overexerted himself and started coughing blood. But perhaps we should take him to the doctor, to be sure.'' Huh, so the last wolf's name was Jared. The other two being Sam and Paul. And Jake now too. I tried to peer into him to see if there was a dark spot where the seed should have been in him, but no dice. The shifters were icy-blue all around. Except Jake.

''No... no leech.'' Billy managed to get out, his voice more haggard than before. How fucking stupid can one be? Really, how much must you hate someone that hasn't done anything wrong but existing, to ignore the chance of best possible aid?

''Carlisle probably has more years of experience as a doctor, than the two of you have been alive combined. And he's got better senses. Can't you let the hatred lie for long enough to get the most accurate diagnosis possible?'' I argue, feeling the anger licking in the back of my mind. It's not for my own sake though. And Harry seems to see what I'm thinking as he levels a glare at me.

But I don't think this dense fucker would be able to get it into his thick skull without a sharp reminder. ''If not for your own sake, then for Jake.''

The sharp intake of air triggers another set of coughs, but Billy nods his head. Harry rights himself and turns on the engine, roaring to life almost like my own truck. What are the odds the people down at the rez have a higher chance of having issues with hearing? Nevermind.

''If you want to continue this conversation later, you need only call. Just make sure this stubborn fool gets to the hospital. I'll make sure Carlisle will be there.'' I said to Harry, over the sound of the engine.

''We also need to talk about the fact that you told Charlie about us, even if you twisted the specifics.'' He shouted over the noise, before he started backing out. I wasn't sure what he thought of me, but I know I liked him more than I did Billy. Not that I didn't find it annoying that he chose to ignore me at times. Or was his hearing just that bad? Surely not.

Moments later I find myself standing in my driveway, alongside a shifter. We're both looking after the truck, but neither of us move as it disappears down the road. It's Jake's impatient stepping his front paws repeatedly that nags me enough to make the first move.

''So I'm Isabella Swan.'' I said to the boy, holding out my hand to shake. He turns around a little too quick, almost as if he was startled. Do shifters have the presence of mind similar to a goldfish or something? Really? Did you just _forget_ I was here?

His pose, that was at first confrontational, shifted slowly into a more relaxed one. His eyes scanned me, and his nose flared as he breathed. It was just a little too obvious to ignore. I just raised my brows, staring back at him. You done kiddo?

''What did you do to Jacob?'' He asked after a few seconds, a hint of worry in his voice. It made me start to worry as well. Had I done something wrong? Was something wrong with Jake? Had my interference hurt him in some way?

''What do you mean?'' I asked him, looking up to Jake. He stopped pacing, and seemed to be intently focusing on us right now. Could he hear us from all the way over there?

''He's... different. Just-... What did you do to him?'' Jared asks a little more forcefully. I've half a mind to knock the kid down a few pegs. But that wouldn't help Jake.

''I just let the seed feed off of my energy instead of killing Jake. Why? What's wrong?'' I start pressing myself, taking a step towards him. It doesn't seem to go over well, as he starts to shake almost imperceptibly. What was more obvious to me was how his aura was fluctuating, pulsing around outside his skin. Was that how they shifted?

So I took a step back again. Not that I actually felt threatened at the moment. It's just that one party being a hairy ass wolf wasn't all that conducive to a conversation. Not that him turning around and leaving was anymore helpful. Without even a word. Man, these guys were total dicks.

I just stood there observing him going into the trees before he turned into a wolf. It did seem to take a lot longer than what Jake's transformation did. And by how he contorted in the process, it didn't seem all that comfortable. Though Jake was asleep the first time, so that might be a contributing factor.

Still not knowing what was wrong with Jake, I had to rely on the hope that he'd come tell me himself later if there was. I sure as shit wasn't expecting anyone else to tell me at this point. With a tired sigh I turned back to the house, Charlie still in the window. I just waved at him to acknowledge his presence before walking inside. He was standing in the hallway with his hands on his hips and a frown on his face.

I wasn't sure if I'd actually said the word couch before walking past him, but he followed me all the same. As I dropped my tired ass into the soft material, I contemplated what to say.

And really. What could I say. Jake had acted suspiciously no doubt, and I couldn't claim to have been any better. Even making him pass on secret messages. He no doubt picked up on that. Probably would have even if he wasn't a cop.

I looked at him, studying his expression. He looked expectant. Angry. Even a little bit of hurt was mixed in there. All understandable. What wasn't, was the sadness. Was he disappointed in me? Or was he feeling guilty that he couldn't protect me in this?

''Please sit down.'' I said quietly, patting the couch beside me. He didn't move from his spot at first, and when he did, he didn't go further than to rest his elbows on the top of his favorite chair. Interlacing his fingers, still facing in my direction, he continued to wait in silence.

I wanted to ask Alice what I should do. What would happen if I did tell him. Only she couldn't have told me even if I did. That was also my fault. Like so many things these days. Closing my eyes, I tried to imagine what would happen if I just cloaked up right now. How Charlie would have reacted. My instincts told me that was a bad idea. Or my cynical side, whatever. The beast.

''Look. I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to lie to you. And I can't elaborate more as to why, even though I want to.'' I started off, immediately noticing his scowl twist his mustache. I held up my hands to placate him as I continued. ''I inadvertently tipped my hand to Jake when we were down there last. That's why he wanted to talk to me, but it ended up dragging him into it all. Only ray of light in this, is that I hope my relations with those down at the rez might improve.''

''And what the hell am I supposed to do with that?!'' Charlie shouted at me, grabbing onto the edges of the chair. He was really worked up, and I couldn't fault him for it. And it just made me feel like more of a shit. The promise I'd made to him the last time was already broken, with the knowledge of the Volturi. But if I did tell him, that would be what would put him in danger. Which left me with a catch 22.

Who do you try to protect in that case? The individual, or the masses? On the one hand, lives would be lost even if I didn't tell him. But it wouldn't put him on the hit-list of vampires secretly controlling the supernatural world. On the other, they may never know that he has learned the truth, unless he goes out of his way to announce it.

It wasn't as if the Cullen's were under any illusion that me knowing the truth of what they were, wasn't something they wouldn't be punished for. They'd face punishment either way.

''Answer me Isabella!'' Dad shouted again, breaking me out of my reverie. His face was all red now, much like Billy's had been not long before. Please just don't start coughing as well.

''I can't tell you that. It's not for me to decide.'' I said quietly, musing to myself. ''If you are going to do anything, please don't be rash about it. And I don't mean that as to say that you must treat it with silk gloves. I mean that I want to have a discussion with the Cullen's about bringing you into this. That way we wouldn't have to fight like this.'' His face mellowed as I said the last part, running his fingers over his face.

''So what you're saying is that if I knew what happened today, I wouldn't be mad at you?'' He breathed out after a few seconds. I nodded mutely back to him. ''Damn it Bells. I don't like this!'' It came out as more of a growl than anything. But I didn't speak, rather I was anxious to know what he was getting at. He paced a few steps back and forth for a while.

''Please... You have to tell me at least why I can't know.'' Charlie said quietly, begging as he stopped moving. His shoulders were slumped, telling me the steam had ran out. I desperately didn't want to see him break down again. So much so that I relented.

''I fear that if you knew, it would put you in danger.'' His expression changed from sadness, to guilt and then to incredulity. And I knew what he was going to say. It was just so Charlie, and I preemptively got up and walked towards him.

''I'm a cop Bells, I can handle danger.'' He got it out just as I grabbed him in a hug. His arms embraced me as I started mumbling into his shirt.

''Not this kind.'' I wasn't sure if he heard it clearly, as he didn't press the point. And there was no words for a good minute as we hugged.

''Dinner's getting cold by the way.'' He said into my hair, after some time had passed. I just started chuckling with how bizarre a segue that was. And Charlie joined me, before we went to eat in silence.

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The wind in my hair didn't bother me as much as I think it should have, with me standing with my head out the window. It was a strangely clear night, as the stars starting making their presence known out from that massive thing that was space.

Putting on a gray coat I had bought the day prior, I picked up my pillow and moved to jump out the window. Before I did, I made sure that Charlie wouldn't be able to see me. He was in the living room, so it shouldn't be a problem. I steeled myself before I dropped out, making sure to pump up my legs with energy to catch myself. The landing was almost what one could consider to be smooth. And Charlie hadn't heard a thing.

The second part of my plan was a bit harder however, as I looked up for the easiest access to the roof. It would have been the gutters, if I didn't expect them to fall apart under my weight. So instead I went for the chimney, being on the outer wall of the house. It was a bit higher, but it should be fine. Taking the corner of my pillow into my mouth, I bent down and focused. Feeling quite confident for once, I jumped and hit my target nearly perfectly. If overshooting it was perfect. I had to grab onto the chimney with my hands to stop my momentum. And that had the unfortunate effect of pressing my pillow into the thing. Which wasn't that clean.

I checked again to make sure Charlie hadn't reacted, and it was as if he'd fallen asleep in his chair. I did however notice a certain little silvery outline making a beeline for my house. Didn't take her long to run all the way here. So I turned around and waited for Alice to come out between the trees, at which point she stopped and stared at me funny.

''Care to join me for a bit of stargazing?'' I asked her quietly, knowing she'd hear me anyway. She just shook her head and chuckled, before jumping up much more gracefully than I had. Up here, in the wind and on the edge of the roof, the world didn't seem that difficult all of a sudden.

''I'm sorry I sent you away earlier.'' I whispered to her, only to get a gleaming smile in response.

''It's okay Bella. You were worried for your friend. I get it.'' Alice said in turn, her hand leading me up further on the roof to where we could sit. As we got to the edge on the top, we laid down on the side with a view towards the sea. At first I felt guilty that I didn't bring a pillow for Alice as well, but then I remembered they didn't really have a need for them.

''So tell me, how did it go?'' She asked when we were comfortable. The feel of her cold hand slowly entangling with mine made all my worries go away. At least for now.

I felt the pressure at the back of my mind again. It wanted out, this new power I had discovered. But now was not the time, so I held it at bay. ''Jake became a shifter.'' I answered simply, noting the rueful smile creeping it's way onto her face.

''Yeah, I could kind of smell that.'' She giggled, and it was a sound I has missed for some time. At least that's what it felt like, even though it wasn't even more than a few hours since the last time. Fuck. I'm hopeless.

''It did help, when you left. Initially it seemed like it would die down. But it seemed to have a mind of it's own. I could sense it somehow. It felt cornered, threatened.'' I started, turning to meet her gaze. She seemed intent on listening, but for the moment I was capture. Her eyes, lit only by the light of the moon and stars on the nights sky, were darker than usual. Those golden orbs seemed to drag me in. Was this how vampires lured humans into their grasp?

I had to jerk myself up, leaning back on my elbows as I finally found the capacity to breathe again. Really girl. That's just fucking embarrassing. I didn't dare turn to look at her directly, but I saw the amused smirk graze her features.

''Anyway, whatever it was that I sensed panicked shortly after, and almost ended up killing Jake. I had to... feed him energy, to save him.'' Steeling myself, I let my powers fade completely, leaving me feeling almost blind. The pale moonlight seemed suddenly very dim, compared to what it had been.

''Wait, you can do that?'' Alice asked, as I laid back down and turned to see her brows furrowed. I doubt I could have made out the features of her face in this light, if not for her pallor. It made her seem positively ephemeral. As if I breathed too hard, she might turn to dust.

''So it would seem.'' I chuckled in response. I didn't want to bring up that it had been while all blue and shit. That could possibly make things awkward. Instead I chose to change the subject. ''So how did your family react?''

An uncertain smile parted her lips for a second, before she replied. ''To what?'' She sounded sheepish, which I guess made the answer obvious. But it was in the air, and if we were going to be around each other in the future, this was one thing we should be open about. Or I could turn it more towards her reaction, wanting to eat me part. That was sure to go over well. Nicely done Bella, from the frying pan and into the fire. I'm such a lost cause.

''When you told them about your visions being gone.'' I breathed. She was the one to break eye contact now, looking up to the sky.

''Oh.'' If it wasn't for the fact that I saw her lips move, I might have thought it was the sound of the wind. ''I didn't.'' Alice said in a neutral manner, which in a way also told me they weren't back yet.

''How often does your family rely on your visions?'' I asked her, trying to seem nonchalant. If she was feeling guilty about this, then it would seem it might be a bigger issue than I originally thought. Then again, I did think she experienced most every conversation by visions before in real life. But what reason would the rest of her family need her visions for. They are vampires, it's not like they can't learn how to tie their shoes correctly by themselves. How often did they get into trouble?

''It depends.'' Alice answered simply. A mischievous smirk donned her as she turned back to look at me. Guess the little pixie knew how to lead the conversation even without her powers.

''On what?'' I asked just to humor her, rolling my eyes just to show her I knew what she was doing. She smiled in appreciation, tilting onto her side to get her other arm into range.

''On how often we run into you.'' She teased, booping my nose with her other hand. I laughed at her jovial attitude, feeling the cold pressure try to force its way back to the forefront. But I wouldn't let it. I wouldn't want to ruin this moment. I could already tell there would be problems when our little secret was blown. But that was a worry for a different time.

I breathed deeply and looked back up to the stars. They always reminded me of how small I was. Which while it made me feel humble, it also comforted me with the knowledge that if I screwed up, I couldn't screw up _everything_. No matter how badly I fucked up, somehow, somewhere, life would go on.

That also clued me into something I had only started to think about a few hours ago. If this was going to happen, I wanted to do it right.

''Hey Alice.'' I said, turning to her once more. From the looks of it, she hadn't turned away as I caught her gaze. ''If we're going to do this.'' I continued, holding our entwined hands up slightly and giving her a squeeze. ''Do you mind if we go slow?''

Her smile was wider this time, although it quickly morphed into a teasing one. ''What, you mean to subject this old hag to the laborious act of having to court the young maiden?'' Alice tried her best to make her voice sound croaky, though it didn't really work. I just laughed at her silly impression and nodded.

''Your wish is my desire.'' She breathed with an edge that made chills run down my spine. And not in a bad way.

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 **AN: Hope you guys enjoyed it! And as always, please feel free to tell me if something feels off. Hopefully I can clear up any worries you may have in a pm.**


	21. Quiet Apprehension

**AN: Happy valentines everyone!**

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 **Deadly Affection – Reimagined**

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of it's characters. I just make them do silly stuff.

 **Chapter 21: Quiet Apprehension**

 **Bella PoV**

I huffed into my pillow, now with a new case, annoyed that sleep seemed to elude me. I had been awake like this for most of the last hour, desperate to get at least a few more minutes in before the alarm goes off. My mind wasn't all that willing however, as it dredged up memories about a certain little pixie.

I stared into the ceiling, feeling the butterflies in my stomach. Tracing the lines, I tried to ignore it. Hoping the monotony would slow my mind down. But not luck.

And then the fucking alarm went off. It probably would have scared me less if the tune had been at all familiar, though no such luck.

I hit snooze as quick as I could without smashing the poor electronic device. It was still really early, as I had set it to a time where I could manage a small run before having to leave for school. And I really should do it, but I'm loathed to get up from bed. I could just reset it and get another hour in. Not that I'd get any sleep anyway, probably. But I'd be warm and comfortable. And have to try to ignore my own mind even longer. I just wish understanding that I'm still a teenager could mean I could ignore the hormones. But they're just another part of me I can't control. And that won't go away, no matter how hard I wish for it.

I picked my phone back up and turn the future alarms off, before stretching out. And with annoyance being my only companion, I get up.

In an act of active self-sabotage I dress light, and skip the shower before heading outside. I even go as far as to hinder my powers from keeping me too warm as I head up towards the trail. As if hurting my body would punish it in some way. How spiteful is that.

It wasn't until I found the entrance to the trail that I let my powers heat me back up. The tingly sensation keeping me company as I ran faster and faster. Having opted out of music today, I was left with the sound of the wind rushing past me. The occasional sound of birds crying out from my disturbance barely reaching me. I was aimless in my running, choosing to not follow the path as I had last time. I'd headed into the denser woods, focusing on dodging stray branches trying to stand in my way. I ended up with more than a few scratches, one even tearing a hole in my sweater. The offending tree ended up being my target for topping off my energy again.

The skies were getting lighter with each passing moment, and I looked around for a place where I could get a view of the sunrise. There were none within range of my other senses, but I spotted trees on a much higher elevation through the tops of the one I was around. Figuring the only reason would be a cliff, I headed in that direction. And sure enough after a short while it came into view. There was a stiff incline, followed by a straight cliff. In total it was probably forty of fifty meters high.

It was daunting, but I had a goal in mind. And besides. I've got powers.

The incline had me climbing with both hands and feet, digging into the dirt. Some roots from trees long gone helped too, as I reached the bottom of the cliff. There were no obvious paths I could climb, so I'd have to figure out a way to make points for me to grab. And even though I've punched rocks to smithereens, this was a single piece of rock. If I punched my fists into it, the cracks that would leave might mean it'd crumble as I tried to make the next one. Meaning this would require more finesse than I had trained for.

As I let the cloak envelop my hands, I tried to dig out small furrows horizontally. But I wasn't having much luck with it, rubbing back and forth and waiting for the cloak to make the rock porous before it would crumble, and repeat the process. So I started trying to jab my fingers straight into the rock, which wasn't much better. Not to mention I nearly tumbled back down the hill as the dirt came undone underneath my foot.

What gained me the most ground was trying to punch the rock sideways, cracking off small bits one after the other. It left longer openings in the rock, but after enough repeats there was enough of a groove for me to grab onto.

It took a while, but I eventually got halfway up. Only to notice the light from the sun starting to shine directly on the top edge of the cliff. Which annoyed me all the more, as from up here I could see a path I could have likely run up in less time it had taken me to get to where I was now.

I looked back up to the edge, trying to measure the distance. It had to be easily more than ten meters left. More like fifteen, and I hadn't ever jumped that high, even from a flat surface. There was no way I could make jumping up there like this. I chanced a look back down, only to flinch from the height, hugging the cliff face tighter. A part of me regretted doing this, but that didn't help me in this moment.

The sun was still creeping down from the edge when I thought of the _other_ cloak. I'd been able to stop Alice in her daze, like it was nothing. I felt a lot stronger then, so maybe that could help me here. And it wouldn't mess up my clothes.

I tried to find it within me as I hugged the wall, but it felt like something was resisting my attempts. So I pressed harder, feeling like I had a grip on it in my mind, then pulled. I cried out in pain as my entire body felt like it was enveloped in flames. Every fiber of my being screamed in agony. And at the same time, the red cloak vanished, my increased strength with it. Fear gripped me, as I felt my fingers actually meet the stone for the first time, and feeling it slip away. I looked on in horror, feeling like time was slowing down. And little by little, my left hand slipped completely off.

In desperation, I tried to evoke my red cloak again. Only to feel the sensation as if I didn't have enough energy to pull it out. The pain still fresh in my mind, I tried to get the blue cloak to come out again. But there was a barrier there as well. The fingers in my right hand was aching, and my pinkie gave out. I clasped back onto the ledge with my left again, hoping beyond reason someone could come help me out. Only to remember there was no one that could. I'd fucked that up too.

Dread filled me as I imagined crashing into the forest below. First I would start to tumble. Maybe crack my head on a rock if I'm lucky. Knock me out or kill me, either would be a blessing. The speed I would pick up before slamming into one of the trees would be less merciful. Would I survive? I would say I'd hope for it, but right now I was angry with hope. It's what got me into this mess.

What would Charlie think? The day after a confrontation with the guys down from the rez. As a cop, he'd be suspicious of the timing. And mad. And sad. Same thing with Renèe and Phil. A knot forms in my stomach, imagining them staring at a closed casket. Wouldn't want my mangled remains being displayed.

The ring finger on my right, and both the pinkie and ring finger on my left slips. I glare at them, angry at what it means is coming. Not long now, with how my shoes also feels like they're about to give out.

The innocent little pixie in the corner of my mind flashes before me. How would she feel about this. It was barely hours since we... Rage starts to flare in my mind. Directed at myself, when I realize how Alice will blame herself. For not saving me. For not having seen what a stupid thing I would do.

I dug in tighter, using my nails to cling get a grip on the uneven surface. The pain I ignored. I could see blood starting to prickle out underneath them, as the first gave away. Pinkie again, of course. Smallest nail means the least nail-bed to keep it attached.

The self-loathing crumbled away as I remembered her smile. And something just clicked. I hadn't really thought about it before, even in the month since everything started. But I always felt angry or sad whenever the cloak emerged on it's own. Or even just scared. And that wasn't too far off, even when I'd pulled it out intentionally.

I should have seen it when I popped the blue one in Alice's room. Even before that, when I'd hugged my dad in the hospital. I was always happy then. So maybe my powers were based in my emotions. Maybe that was the barrier.

The nail on my left index finger gave out as the idea finalized in my mind. Letting go of the edge with my left hand, I put the tips of my fingers directly against the rock. Then I recalled vivid images of Alice smiling at me, or just making jokes. How it made me feel. How the butterflies made me giddy and nervous at the same time. Slowly then, I tried to pick at it in the back of my mind. Trying to peel the energy out from inside me with care. And there was no barrier this time.

Strength bloomed in me, the cold pressure pulsing through my body. And with that I pressed my left hand forward. It went slowly at first, but as the cloak started to bloom, it got easier. And as each digit of my fingers slowly pressed their way into the stone, I had to grip tighter with my right. My fingers were almost entire embedded by the time the rock in my right hand crumbled and gave away. But I had enough leverage to hold on with just my left. In fact I felt strong enough so as to lift my entire weight easily with just my left hand.

I used some momentum, curling my fingers inside the rock to anchor me, and pressed a little faster with my right. It went in all the way to my wrist with ease. Almost like the rock was clay beneath my hands.

I breathed a sigh of relief, feeling the worry being overtaken by a heady rush of excitement. I repeated the process with determination, being as methodical I could be. I didn't make any holes for me to step into, though I could use the ones made. But there just was no need to. I felt secure with the strength that I had, and just kept moving. I didn't stop to look up even as the heat of the sun hit my back. I just repeated each step one after the other. And before long I was within reach of the edge. I grabbed onto it with both arms and flung my body up and over it, not caring that I got a little too carried away and almost hit a tree.

I just rolled over onto my back, and gave the sun the middle finger salute.

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It wasn't until I got back home that I knew just how little time I had to spare. Charlie was once again surprised by my entrance, though not as badly as before. He did admonish me for not putting up a note that I had gone out again. My excuse of being sleepy goes about as well as could be expected. Hiding my damaged hand from view probably kept him from blowing up.

I didn't get to take a shower with how late I was. I had to make due with just washing my face and hands, fingertips now caked with dried blood. I had managed to keep pressure on my index nail on the way back, and it had already started to heal decently. The only evidence of the injury was the blood trapped underneath the nail, being almost black. The pinky nail was all gone. I could already see the nail starting to grow out, but it was obviously going to take some time.

After scraping out as much dried blood as I could get to, gritting my teeth through the pain, I ended up putting a band-aid over it. It was uncomfortable with how sensitive the nail-bed is, but that would have to be the prize to pay for my stupid stunt.

Then I switched out my damaged sweater, putting it on the bed so I'd remember to sew it back up when I got home. And I had to change most of my clothes anyway, due to the sweat I had built up.

When I headed back downstairs Charlie was at the door, about to leave. ''Drive safe kid.'' He said with a wave, closing the door behind him. It didn't feel good to have him dismiss me so casually. But that might just be me reading into it.

I managed to make a couple of slices of bread before I had to run myself. Having to eat it in the car while jamming to a tune on the radio that sounded like Coldplay, but mixed with something else. It sounded wistful, yet hopeful, though I was too preoccupied to follow along to the text.

Most of the parking lot was filled up by the time I got to school, and to my dismay the Volvo and the Beemer were parked and unoccupied. Not that I'd expect vampires to be tardy. Then again, what would be their rush? Having to repeat high-school over and over must get tedious. I know I consider it hell, and I'm not even done the first time around. Wonder if I'm going to have to do the same, if I'm immortal like them.

That thought lead down dark paths, so instead I focused on getting to my locker. In the back of my mind I noted the distinct lack of vampires within range of my senses.

''Good morning Bella.'' A familiar voice says right next to me. I turn to see Angela closing her locker, a smile on her face directed at me.

''Morning Ange!'' I responded, kind of loud due to my surprise. I almost stumbled in my half turn to the locker, in an attempt to act casual. And it's not before I start to turn the dial that I notice something off. There's _something_ inside my locker. It wasn't the near void of just my books, something was definitely sort of alive in there. It was a dull orange, and it was crammed tight. So tight that I couldn't make out any shapes.

''Is something wrong?'' Angela asked with worry, having no doubt noticed my lack of movement. I wonder what I must have looked like to her. Was it as if I was trying to stare a hole in the locker?

''No, I'm just tired.'' I said back, trying to deflect the attention. If anything, I hoped she'd move on so she wouldn't be able to see what had actually caught my attention. She's one smart cookie, and I wouldn't put it past her. Would it be stupid to just walk away from my locker, and claim to have forgotten my textbook at home? Probably.

It would be a leap for her to believe I could have known about something inside my locker without seeing it, so I resigned myself to the risk. As the final click was heard, I had to press my hand against the door for the latch to give away. And when it did, a small avalanche of roses fell out. The initial surprise of what it was didn't last long. Even less so, considering I had reacted by slowing everything down. I closed my glowing eyes and started to pick each flower out of the air before they hit the ground. No reason to ruin them further, even if they were crushed together inside the tight locker. While doing so, I pressed my senses out further to find the culprits. There was little chance any of them would do this without wanting to see my reaction. The fact that none of them were in the hallway only strengthened my suspicion. And, lo and behold, up there in the edge of the forest.

Having secured all the roses in my hands, I forced my powers to recede while looking in their direction. As I opened my eyes to peer out the window, the smiles of Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett, I couldn't help but give one back. Even from this distance, I could tell Emmett was cheering. The startled gasp from Angela was the thing that finally got me back to my senses.

''Holy shit, how did you do that? Wait wha-... Who-.. Why were there roses in your locker? Wait, how many are there?'' It was like ice, the dread running down my spine. I'd moved way too fast for a human, _in front of Angela!_ What the fuck is wrong with me?!

Thinking of the best way out of my new conundrum, I elected to focus on the flowers in my hands. ''I don't know.'' It was in fact a lie, as I knew both the who and the why. I just didn't expect Alice would go this old-school. I held out the bouquet for Angela who was currently counting, when I noticed the warm liquid drip from my left hand.

A sting of pain came when I released the tight grip on the stems, and I saw that two thorns had cut into my fingers. One of them even looked a little nasty, having gone into the join near the tip of my pointer finger. Fucking great. Well at least none of the Cullen's were close for this. Is this why they waited outside? Had her visions come back?

''...-Thirteen.'' I heard Angela mutter to herself, having finished her self-imposed assignment. ''Oh, here.'' She said a little louder, having noticed my injury she handed me a handkerchief. Not that I really needed it, as the wounds were already closing up. I took it anyway, if only to ease her mind. I peered out of the corner of my eye to where the vampires had been standing, and noticed they were gone. Show was over, it seems.

''It seems you have a secret admirer, Bella. Any idea who it might be?'' The worry was gone from Angela's face, having been replaced by curiosity and excitement. I struggled to hide a smile. Well more like completely failed, but what can you do when feeling like you're on top of the world. The most annoying thing with this was the struggle to keep my powers contained. Guess I was due some training in how to suppress that in the near future.

''I _could_ hazard a guess.'' I teased Ange, walking off with a smirk. She ran after me demanding an answer, to no avail.

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The will to hide who my admirer was had gone from being fed by humorous teasing, to obnoxious stubbornness right quick. All that was needed was the snide remarks of a certain gossipmonger. From the start of trig, Jess had pestered me about it. Not that her questions had turned pointed during that lesson, instead having done so in Spanish. Perhaps due to her not having to sit right next to me in that class. Or to impress Angela maybe? Who knows.

It was obvious who the main contenders were of course, which was probably the reason they both dragged me to their table at lunch. The way Mike looked like a hurt puppy at the thought of me liking someone else only served to annoy me further. Jess kept grilling me about what I thought of Emmett. A few times about Rosalie even, though she looked repulsed at that idea. The world will move on without wiping a tear at that loss. I noticed Edward rumble with silent laughter shortly after that, so I'd guess he was listening in.

''For the last time Jess, it's not Emmett! Does he _look_ like the kinda guy to hide his affection? I mean really, look at him!'' I said- okay, more like shouted at this point, my hand stretched out in the direction of the two main targets of her inquiries, outright fondling each other.

She opened her mouth to protest as she turned to look, only to turn red and avert her eyes. And for a whole ten seconds she was silent, twiddling her fingers. I actually started to believe she'd shut the fuck up about it. Leave it to Stanley to prove me wrong, I guess.

''Then it has to be Edward. It is, isn't it?'' I just gaped at her, feeling like I was loosing brain cells from sheer stupidity. Managing to close my mouth, I started to rub the bridge of my nose, sighing loudly. And the whole table was silent, expecting an answer.

''Why would you-... Is-.. Have you even _spoken_ with him?'' I started with a scoff. Her nails were suddenly really interesting all of a sudden. ''What the fuck is up with her obsession over the Cullen's?'' I asked everyone, instead of giving the idea another second to live. The four other people around the table all shared looks, but not a word was spoken. Not that it was any challenge to guess the reason with that reaction.

''When did she get rejected?'' I asked a little more quietly. Not that I wanted to spare her feelings in the moment, but there was no reason to gloat over it. The way Jessica froze verified my suspicion.

''A couple of months before you moved here.'' Angela answered after the brief silence. The sound of Jess gasping, and the look of betrayal was clear on her face. ''What? You were being sort of a bitch. It's only fair she knows why.'' Wow. Did not see that coming.

''You promised you wouldn't tell!'' Jessica hissed back. Her entire face was becoming red as the seconds passed, indicating just how upset she was by this. Angela didn't back down, instead meeting the hateful gaze head on. She didn't even cross her arms.

''You were being entirely unreasonable. And besides, she already gathered it happened. I just clarified when.'' There was not a tremor in Angela's voice to indicate any discomfort on her part. I really didn't see this coming, with how timid she usually was. Probably should be a little more cautious with what I reveal around her.

Jessica, none to happy with the way the conversation was going, opted to bail. She got up from the table, gathered her stuff, and was just about to leave when a certain pixie decided to clear her throat behind me. Loud enough for everyone around the table to hear.

Her intentions were probably not entirely amicable, as the timing was just a little too good to be true. To be fair, I couldn't help but smile as I've already figured out what was about to go down. Or close enough, as proved by the single rose she was twirling behind her back.

''Hey Alice.'' I uttered as a greeting while turning around. My smile only grew when I saw hers in turn. It was mischievous as all hell. Even a little predatory, though it detracted little in how my body reacted.

''Hello Bella.'' The sight of her pearly whites made me glad I was seated at that moment. But my gaze was drawn more towards the rose she promptly brought forth and held underneath her nose, smelling it. ''I was wondering if I might steal you away from your friends.'' The gasp, and utter dumbfounded look on Jessica was priceless. It almost made me regret not turn around to witness it with my eyes.

I hadn't caught onto the fact that I was more charged up than I should be. I was a subtly reminded when I saw Alice's eyes dilate a fraction. I managed to reign it in time for Alice's motionlessness to not be too conspicuous, her smile widening even more.

I manged to break the spell she had me under, and turn to Angela to ask if it was okay. Only to be greeted by her shooing motions, one hand not so gently pushing me away from the table. The shrill, strangled cry from Jessica was highly amusing, as she turned on the spot and stomped out of the cafeteria.

I could clearly hear the boys behind me whisper in hurried succession as I got up, but elected to ignore it. Alice held the rose for me to take, before taking my hand and leading me towards an empty table. I faintly recall the cafeteria being really _really_ quiet at that point. I do remember _seeing_ Angela jumping in her seat as we walked.

Alice let me go as we approached the table, sitting down and patting the spot beside her. My body felt entirely too light in that moment, so I took care not to crush the rose in my hands. The only thing I could hear, was my own heartbeat thundering in my ears. Had Alice really gone and done that? Basically announced to the whole of the school, well everyone in the cafeteria, that we were gay? Oh I feel lightheaded. What a rush. Sounds starting coming back to me as I focused on the flower between my fingers. It started out as hushed whispers, but quickly grew to a cacophony. Tyler even wolf-whistled.

I only dared look back into Alice's eyes as the blush erupted on my face. She was grinning from ear to ear. In exultation, I felt the urge to kiss her. Madly, deeply. If only to prove to her how happy this made me. I had been a little apprehensive to reveal to everyone in school that I was gay. Not that I thought it was something I had to keep hidden. It was just that I didn't want the extra attention, while still being so new to the school. That was the main reason I hadn't shouted to the skies that it was Alice who had hid the roses in my locker.

It was still probable that I'd get more attention because of this, but at least I didn't have to worry about it anymore. Leave it to Alice to find a painless way to rip that particular band-aid off.

''Your eyes are blue.'' Alice utters quietly. The words doesn't compute for me, being to caught up in my own thoughts at the moment. ''Strikingly so.'' It takes a few extra seconds before I figure out what she's talking about, and I curse myself internally for having gotten lax with my use of the shades recently. But I don't want to put them on either. It feels rude, even if it's for a purpose.

I move to close my eyes, only for Alice's hand to blur to my chin. ''Please.'' She whispered. The simple request makes my blush stay even longer than it would have, and I try to pull my strength inwards while keeping my eyes open. It's harder than I would have thought, but after a few seconds, I manage. ''Exquisite.'' Alice murmurs, her hand dropping again. My mind races, trying to come up with a witty response, but I find none. Instead I turn away, embarrassed.

My eyes flicker to the Cullen table, four pair of eyes staring in our direction, three of them with accompanying grins. I'm too happy to care. ''This your idea of courtship? Dazzle me into silence?'' I ask, not daring to look at her. It feels like my nerves are on fire, every strand of hair standing on edge.

Alice chuckles before responding. ''Just a lucky side-effect.'' She leans her chin on her hand, continuing to stare at me. The urge to hide behind my hair strikes, but I instead choose to bask in her gaze. I think I would have felt self-conscious if she had done this a few days ago. Right now though, it only makes me more giddy.

''Hey, did Carlisle figure out what was wrong with Billy Black?'' I was glad for a distraction, even if it wasn't the most happy of topics we could talk about.

Alice sat up at the mention of the Quileute tribe member, the smile dimming slightly. ''Yeah, well no, not really. He didn't show any symptoms of being ill when Carlisle examined him. He's running blood tests just to be sure. You can probably guess how well that conversation went.'' Her nose flared a bit in amusement, and I couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped me. Billy being asked to take a blood sample by a 'filthy leech'. Good thing it happened in a hospital. It was most likely a good substitute to test his condition under stress as well. Wonder if Carlisle thought of that?

''I hope your dad didn't mind me sending him his way. He really didn't look good when we talked.'' I said, hoping it wasn't too much trouble. No doubt he was a complete ass every second he was around a vampire, but he was still important. Not to me in particular, but I really don't know how Jake would take it if anything... Not even going to go there.

''I don't think he will hold it against you. Apparently the look on Billy's face was worth the insults.'' She said with a chuckle of her own, leaning forwards again. ''So. Now that I've made the first move, where do you want to take it from here?'' Her voice was slightly more husky, and not at all suited for a talk to be had in the cafeteria. The immediate reemergence of my blush was probably clear as day to everyone that looked in our general direction.

''What do you mean?'' I asked, flustered. My mind was running with presumptions before I knew what was happening. ''We-well, I'd like to hang out with you more. Get to know you better on a more personal level. Maybe go on a date. Or several.'' By the end, I was a muttering mess. Unbidden images floating around in my mind. Again. Curse my vivid imagination.

The laughter, holding the usual characteristics of chimes, coming from beside me was loud enough to draw the attention of people around us. As if I'd said something worth of laughter. I just wanted to curl in on myself and disappear.

''Is that all?'' Alice teased, laughter dying down to a single chuckle. I peered in her direction, feeling somewhat insulted. By the smirk on her face, it was clear that wasn't the intention. ''Well, have you put any more thought into what you want to watch friday?'' Her tone was hushed, and I found myself having to look away again. I was suddenly reminded, very painfully so, that all the vampires several tables away were listening in. It was as clear as day, by the look on Emmett's face.

''Would be more romantic to plan such things when we don't have an audience.'' I muttered, sticking my tongue out to the big goofball. He only smiled wider.

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It took some convincing for Alice to stop pestering me to come directly to their house after school. I even had to play the sympathy card, about how I felt like I was neglecting Charlie. He'd been silent during dinner, which seemed to be the new norm. He didn't hesitate to answer me when I spoke to him. But he never brought up a subject on his own. And his body language had changed. It was as if he wasn't as open anymore. I could understand it, to a degree. But this was getting to be a little much. Or was that just me being hyper aware of the changes? Maybe I was being delusional. It was honestly a little hard to tell, these days.

The sun had already set by the time we were finished eating, and I was starting to get frustrated by the silence. So I excused myself, and headed upstairs. Firing off a quick text to Alice, I asked if I could come over for a while. It didn't take long to get an answer. That's when I found myself in the bathroom, taking off the band-aids to inspect the progress.

The blackness underneath the nail on my index finger was gone by now. I tentatively tried to lift the end of it, and was happily surprised that it didn't hurt at all. My pinky was another matter, only having grown maybe a third of the way out. I washed my hands again, before getting another band-aid out. Only for another box to fall out of the cabinet at the same time.

It caused me to freeze up, seeing it between my feet. In my head, I started counting the days since I moved here. And it didn't add up. I got my phone out and checked my calendar, just to be sure. My math wasn't wrong.

It had been more than a month. Something was up.

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 **AN: Hope you guys enjoyed that, and I hope you've had a good day! As always, please do tell me if you feel something feels off. Then again, that might just be the point in this chapter. :P**


	22. Doctor's Visit

**AN: Sorry for being a couple of days late with this upload. I have no excuse. Also:**

 **It came to my attention that I dropped the ball in chapter nineteen, with a continuation on that error in twenty-one, thanks to Malad.**

 **It appeared as if Bella had a magic phone, that could somehow magically repair itself. While in my mind I had imagined a scene in which Alice gives her a phone after she comes back from her hunting trip, I forgot to actually write it. And when going back to try to edit it, I came to the conclusion that it would detract from the scene, and so that didn't happen either. I ended up adding a scene in which Bella learns a little more about how Edward thinks, which I had plans to do in this chapter, while also getting the phone. That's the short version, though if you would like to read it in it's entirety, it occurs just after the Tekken competition in chapter nineteen.**

 **I sincerely apologize for the continuity error, and the immersion break for any of you that caught it. I will strive to do better in the future. And if I do mess up like this again in the future, be sure to let me know.**

 **Now that that's out of the way, I hope you can still enjoy this new chapter.**

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 **Deadly Affection – Reimagined**

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of it's characters. I just make them do silly stuff.

 **Chapter 22: Doctor's Visit**

 **Bella PoV**

I was stuck in thought, sitting on my bed in darkness. Milling around in my head, repeating over and over. Was there something wrong with me? Why is this happening? What caused this? Am I in danger? Am I dying?

I knew immediately that it was just me being paranoid. Most likely. I had a pretty good idea why it was happening, and that it most likely didn't threaten my health in any way. But the thoughts remained. Guess even whatever it is that I am, is still prone to panic attacks. Which I also already knew, from the first week I was here. This shit was mild compared to that.

But it still grated on my mind. What this could mean for my future. How it could possibly limit my options later in life. Not that I was all that into the idea of being a mom, with how my own had been struggling during my upbringing. It might be down to personal bias. Also the fact that I was seeking a relationship with a very female vampire. Who probably struggled with this very possibility at some point in her long life as well. Although I guess it wasn't just a possibility in her case.

I have never looked past the near to intermediate future in regards to my choices in life. I opt to roll more with what life throws at me, than anything. And at this point in my life, I preferred chicks. So it had no instantaneous impact, in that regard. But I was in no way naive enough to thing that my preferences couldn't change in the future. People are fickle things. Stuff happens, and minds change. Guess that's part of what it means to live.

I picked up the phone, intending to call Audrey, only to realize that I don't have her number. I could call mom and ask for it, but what could I say to her if I did. One word from me about kids, and alarm bells would go off for Audrey. She'd know something serious was up, and wouldn't stop hounding me until she figured it out. A pained whisper in the back of my mind asked if I should stop talking to her all together. Just fade out of her life, to keep her safe. I refused to entertain the notion.

The unfamiliar ringtone starts blaring in my hands, and I'm both happy and annoyed to see that Alice is calling. And that's not fair on my part, as she can't know the turmoil going on in my head. ''Hey Alice.'' I answer, putting the phone to my ear.

''Hey Boo.'' She croons back, and I can't help but chuckle in response. ''What, too much?'' It certainly lifts my spirits, and the obvious concern in her voice melts away my worries.

''It's cute, but... It's not really... Me.'' I answered honestly.

''Huh, not one for nicknames?'' Her voice carries an air of playfulness that I can't help but smile from. It reminds me of Phoenix. Or more specifically, of Audrey, and the banter we shared. Used to, anyway. There was a sense of longing for those days in the back of my mind, but I wouldn't change what had happened. Nothing is ever certain.

''No, I can do nicknames. Just not one that feels so cliché.'' I respond, remembering the grotesque number of times I heard lovebirds call each-other that down in Arizona. ''Besides, you've got to have something more original than that, up in that wonderful mind of yours, right?''

''You think so, kitten?'' Her voice was low and sultry. I know it's only teasing, but I can't help but be affected by it. Some semblance of higher thinking just goes to the ditch. While this new one is no less cliché, I think I like it. Though it probably had a lot to do with the current state of my mind. Hey, I don't claim to be infallible. Stop pestering me, brain.

''Uh-huh.'' Was the extent of my reply, before I managed to reboot. ''Anyway, was there any particular reason you called?'' I asked in an attempt to change the subject.

''Yeah. I don't want to come off as the clingy girlfriend, but I was starting to get worried when you didn't show. Did something come up?'' I was bewildered at first, not really connecting the dots. Then it clicked, and I held the phone up in front of me for a second, to check the time. It had been nearly forty minutes since I texted Alice. No wonder she'd get worried, with the state of things.

I was reluctant to reveal the reason why. Best case, she couldn't help but wasn't bothered. Worst case, I'd bring up what was undoubtedly a sore point. At least if how Rosalie reacted was anything to go by. Not that it was something that should bother anyone at this point. Unless something was seriously wrong with me. But I heal, surely I can't be sick. Perhaps a talk with Carlisle is in order.

''No I just... Lost track of time.'' I deflected, wincing as I imagined her reaction. She would see through the omission, of that I had no doubt. But it was better than lying to her, or getting her upset. ''I'll head over...'' Was as far as I got, before there was a tap on the window. I did not jump several feet into the air, nor did I throw the phone in the general direction of the sound. No siree, didn't happen.

It took a good few seconds to calm down enough for the dim red glow to fade from the room, and I walked over and opened the window. I let my frustration show, as I didn't address when she jumped inside. Instead I picked up my new phone, and checked to make sure I hadn't damaged it. Probably was a reason vampires rolled around with Nokia's. ''So, this is your idea of not clingy?'' I couldn't stop myself from saying it.

Alice didn't give any visible or audible reaction to my speech, even as I turned back around to face her. All I could tell from looking at her, is that she was concerned. She looked into my eyes for a few seconds, searching. I found it hard to look back into hers. Instead I looked to the roses in the corner, reminding myself to not let my emotions control me.

''…'' She opened her mouth to speak twice, but nothing came out. And it made me feel a little shitty, having put her in a box where she couldn't speak her mind without walking into a minefield. Perhaps it was presumptuous of me to think that, but what other reasons could she have to struggle to find the words. Surely she would want to extend some platitudes, having most likely seen me sitting in the dark for a while.

I went for the easiest way to tell her that it wasn't something she did, walking towards her with my arms open. She embraced me without any rush. Just a friendly hug. I couldn't stop the urge to breathe in her smell, which I'm sure she noticed. ''Just got a lot on my mind.'' I mumbled into her hair.

''You don't have to come over today, if you need some space.'' Alice replied in kind, her cold breath eliciting shivers down my spine.

''No, I'm good. I could use the distraction.'' I eased up and broke away from her, before picking up my sweater and putting it on.

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''And what makes you think I wouldn't be able to gank your ass in Medal of Honor?'' I challenged Emmett from my relaxed position, leaning into Alice's side. We had decided to mingle with her siblings for a bit, after Alice was done playing dress-up with me. Not that I had minded. Seeing her light up and get really into her passion made me happy. But when she started to use me as a mannequin to test out new designs, I ended up needing a break. Weak ass-... whatever I am, can't pose for long without getting tired.

Emmett snorted in response. ''Do I even have to mention what happened last time? You ain't got nothing on this Bella-bear.'' He said, flexing his bicep for me to see. It made me roll my eyes.

''We also kind of cheat. Vampires, remember?'' Alice whispered into my ear. I cursed my body's reaction as I shivered, starting to feel warm next to my chilly statue. And of course I knew that I didn't have a chance against them in a lot of the games I've played. Perhaps if I somehow managed to play while cloaked up, it would be a more fair fight.

''I don't think that would work. You fried your phone with that, so I don't think the controller would fare any better.'' Edward said from his corner of the sofa.

''I know, Edward! I know! I just-... My pride won't let me just lay down and take it.'' I nearly growled in frustration, feeling my body surge with energy. I looked over at Emmett again, and noticed him nodding with a smile. I just huffed, and let the energy go again. It was just playful banter.

''It's so unfair.'' I mumbled, leaning further into Alice. There was so much that was unfair recently, though it came with some good too. It's kind of crazy to think that just a few weeks ago, I though everyone on this planet was more or less the same. Now I'm sitting here with freaking vampires. How cool is that.

Even my forced optimism couldn't erase what was really on my mind still.

I looked to Edward from the corner of my eye. The plan was simple enough. I just needed to keep it from everyone else. _Edward?'_ As if I spoke his name out loud, his eyes flicked to me. _Please don't speak up. I need you to do me a favor._ I'd owe him one, but what's the worst he could ask of me. I explained what I wanted him to do for me in as few words as possible, careful to not think of anything related to the actual issue. It was kind of hard, and I almost slipped a couple of times. But when I felt it coming, I focused intensely on something else around me. Like the fragrance of the pixie beside me. When I was done, he rose from his seat without a word and left. If he would actually do what I asked of him, I was not sure. He didn't give any indication that he would, though that was kind of what I asked of him.

''Earth to Bella?'' It was just the reaction to my own name that knocked me out of my own mind. I couldn't tell who had said it, though I would bet it wasn't Alice. I felt a little uneasy when I noticed everyone present was looking at me in silence.

''Sorry? I kinda zoned out for a minute.'' Emmett grinned, but didn't voice any thoughts. They were probably down the gutter by the look of it, so it wasn't that great a loss. ''Was there a question or something?''

''Rosalie was wondering if you were having any trouble with your truck.'' Alice replied quickly beside me. I looked to the blonde, trying to figure if she had somehow just insulted my ride, or if she was just asking to be polite. Her expression was too ambiguous for me to discern.

''The truck's great. Why?'' I answered cautiously, trying to read her. A sly smile formed on her lips quickly after that.

''Great huh? Even though it's loud enough to cause permanent loss of hearing?'' One could probably be forgiven for thinking she meant that as an insult to the truck, but I don't think that was it. With how Rosalie worked, this was probably more her trying to argue my definition of the word great.

''Sure, it's loud. And it's a bitch to get in gear at times, but the thing's my baby.'' I winced at the reminder. ''And as such, you better be careful in where you're going with this.'' It wasn't meant as a threat. Not really. Just... Okay it was. Someone insults my ride, I'mma fight them. Be it vampire or human.

''I would never insult a classic. What I was actually going for, was to ask if you would allow me the opportunity to take a look at her?'' Rosalie said with the faint hint of a smile. It turned into the full-blown flirty one she would don when messing with me. ''Get a look under the hood, as it were.'' There was no mistaking the innuendo, with how she said it. The flirty eyebrow raise wasn't really necessary.

''Wow. Should I feel jealous?'' Emmett jested, making both me and Jasper snort with laughter. Rosalie just grinned sideways at him, before looking to me for an answer. I knew that Rosalie liked tinkering with cars, for sure. And she was probably a better mechanic than most humans, though I couldn't be sure. And that uncertainty made me feel a little anxious, despite the fact that I knew she could probably buy me a new truck if she broke it. But it wouldn't be my baby. Not at first.

''Think she'll mess it up?'' I asked Alice, forgetting for a second that I had messed up her power. It didn't seem to phase her.

''She'll make it bearable to sit in the darn thing, is what I think.'' I gaped at her ridiculous assertion, feeling insulted on my baby's behalf. Of course I knew she was joking, with how she had the tip of her tongue sticking out between her teeth. I swatted her shoulder, and scooted away from her, crossing my arms. Alice didn't stop laughing however, so I needed to up the ante a bit.

''Sure thing Rose. I'll let you get a look under the hood.'' I said, trying to mimic her sultry tone, failing horribly. But she played along, using more speed than necessary to come to my side, and skillfully placing her arm around my side.

''I thought you'd never ask.'' While I failed, she had mastered the art as she whispered into my ear. Involuntary shivers were joined by jelly legs, as she took charge and moved us towards the entrance. She halted however, as a new voice was heard in the house.

''Bella? Could you come into my office? I have some questions I'd like to ask you.'' It came from upstairs, and there was no mistaking who it was asking. So it would appear that Edward had done as I asked. Sneaking my hand into my pocket, I fished out the key to my car and held it out for Rosalie.

''You do your thing, and I'll come join you when I'm done.'' I decided it would be a little too forward of me to smack her ass when she walked away from me. Not that the view alone wasn't enjoyable. _Thank you Edward_ , I added as I headed for the stairs. He gave me a questioning look as we passed each other, but said nothing. I let my senses flow out as I looked for Carlisle on the second floor, not having been to his office before. It wasn't all that hard to find, as it was the one at the end of the corridor.

I knocked twice before entering, out of courtesy, even though I knew he could hear my every step on the way here. Upon entering the room, I was met with several bookcases stacked to the brim with books wholly unfamiliar to me. A lot of them seemed to be about medicine, though I also noticed several that seemed to be about different kinds of science. There was also a large painting on the wall on the right. From a glance, it looked ancient.

''Would you mind closing the door?'' Carlisle asked, as I've gotten hung up looking around the room. There was an edge to his voice that wasn't entirely pleasant, but it could just be my imagination. So closed the door as asked, which seemed a little harder to do than the other doors in the house, and walked over and sat on a chair placed in front of his desk. ''Could you start by explaining to me why this had to be kept a secret from the rest of the family?'' His face was stern as he asked. So it wasn't just my imagination then. He seemed genuinely upset at the idea of secrecy.

I immediately felt guilty for causing him distress, with how it was just for my own sake. I could parade all I want, that it was to keep bad memories from arising in Alice and Rosalie, but that wouldn't be true. It would only be an excuse. ''I'm sorry Carlisle. I didn't take into account how you would feel about this. But I needed some help regarding a medical issue, and I didn't know who else to ask.'' I said quietly, looking to his desk.

''That doesn't explain why I would have to hide it from everyone. You are free to come to me with questions whenever you like, I hope you know that.'' I blushed, feeling a little overwhelmed from all of this. And the matter at hand wasn't any easier to voice now that I was here. I looked up to him again, trying to find a way to ask what I needed to without becoming a stuttering mess. Thankfully, Carlisle seemed to get why I was hesitating.

''Would it be correct of me to guess that it has something to do with your reproductive cycle?'' He asked, leaning back in his chair. I just nodded in response, not trusting my words. I so desperately wanted to be everywhere but here, that I looked down to the others in the house. To my amusement, everyone but Edward had migrated to the garage, with Rosalie lying on the floor, and the rest of them standing around what I would presume to be my car. ''I understand that this can be awkward for you. And I understand that you would struggle to see any other doctor, in fear that they might discover your secret. So if you have any medical concerns, please don't hesitate to see me. What you say to me as a doctor will be held in strictest confidence. I will not treat you any differently.'' The zeal in his declaration made me focus on him again. And it gave me the confidence I needed.

''Okay. So. I came to the realization today that... I should have had my period well over a week ago.'' It was still a little disconcerting to be speaking about this to the adoptive father of my... Girlfriend. But I pushed through it.

''I see. Have you engaged in any sexual activity since your last period?'' Okay, this just got awkward in a hurry. ''I assume you haven't, as I trust you understand how reproduction works. But it would be negligent for me as a doctor to not ask the question.'' Carlisle reassured me with a hint of a smile.

''No, I have not. And before you ask, yes, the last time I was on my period was before I started to exhibit these powers.'' I answered to hasten the process. I have no doubt he would guess that might be the reason, same as I had. Though he might have more information from several sources, as the only comparison I had, were vampires having the same kind of issue. Then again, even he didn't know what I was.

''Have you experienced any other symptoms? Night sweats, hot flashes, sudden chills? Or things like weight gain or mood changes?'' Carlisle listed off, and I found myself mentally checking off most of them.

''Everything but night sweats. That happened once, but I don't think it was related. Why, do you have an idea what it might be?'' I said, gaining some hope he might have the answer for me right here and now.

''Well those symptoms would normally fit for a human experiencing hormonal changes. Which is not unlikely in your case, as something is likely fundamentally different in how your body works. Have you noticed any other symptoms? Sleep problems, dry skin, vaginal dryness?'' While his voice was perfectly even all the way through, I couldn't help but glow beet red at the last one. That _definitely_ didn't describe my condition. With not trusting my voice, I elected to answer by simply shaking my head. To Carlisle's credit, he didn't show any amusement at my obvious discomfort.

''That probably rules out menopause, not that I thought it likely. As from my perspective, this power of your seems to focus on healing and improving your physical attributes. Not counting the alleged effects of your 'cloak' and ability to suck up energy from other sources.'' Carlisle said, tapping his finger to the edge of the oak desk.

In the brief interlude, I managed to calm back down again. Carlisle seemed to be in thought, and I used the time to see what the others were up to again. The garage only held two individuals now, that being Rosalie and Emmett. He seemed to be handing her tools, as she worked on the top of the engine. My baby better work when I have to get back home, or there will be hell to pay. It only took a second to find Alice, who was now just across the hall from us, in her room. Which set off some alarm bells.

''Carlisle? Excuse me if the question is redundant, but has everyone in the house heard what we've been talking about? Vampire hearing and all?'' I asked. I didn't really know the full extent of their hearing, not really. But he had been so sure that our talk would be private, so there had to be a reason.

''This room is soundproofed quite thoroughly. Esme designed it that way, so we would have the possibility to have private conversations in the house. However, it does not affect Edward's ability.'' Carlisle explained, and for a moment I wondered if Edward had left the house without a word, in order to spy on our conversation from a distance. I had no idea what his range is for reading someone's mind, though from inference through conversations, I guessed it probably exceeded my second sight.

But that doesn't explain why he left the house to do that. I hadn't actually thought as far, as to make him leave so we could talk in private. Edward could have very well just sat down with his family after speaking to Carlisle, and I wouldn't have been able to argue it without ruining the secret.

The fact that he did though, implied either that Carlisle perhaps asked him to, or that he _wanted_ to give me that space. While he could still try to listen in, he _did_ set up this talk for me. That shows that he trusted me enough to not do something stupid, and that he respected my wishes to not let everyone know. Edward was likely not any happier than Carlisle had been at first. It was possibly a concern he raised to Carlisle, as that became his first question.

In either case, he had shown faith in a way, that I would not bring harm with this conniving. So I'd have faith in him, that he would not spy on us.

''Has anyone told you, that you emote quite a lot when thinking?'' Carlisle said with a small smile. ''Did you perhaps figure any other symptoms that could help us determine the cause of your issue?'' The earlier thought about Alice's... problem, and my own mixed. But that would be absurd. I didn't even learn about the blue cloak until well after I should have had my period.

No, it was way more likely it had something to do with the awakening of my powers, or what I was. Glancing at Carlisle, I entertained the idea of telling him about Alice's issue, while in private. He would no doubt be unhappy, but at least I would have admitted it on my own terms. That way, if it did get out from what would most likely be Edward's ability, Carlisle would have already known.

But it wasn't my responsibility. I might have caused it, but it would ultimately be up to Alice to tell. It was her ability after all. She might want to keep it hidden for my sake though, as it could cause a divide between us. Perhaps we should talk on it later.

I sat up straight as I broke out of my thoughts, realizing I hadn't answered his questions. ''Um, no. And no. Do you have any idea how we can figure out what's wrong with me?'' I asked him. He seemed to think for a moment.

''If you would allow it, I could take some blood samples and run a few tests. Though it might not come back with anything conclusive, as they are designed for humans. If nothing else, it would probably help shed light on what makes you special.'' He seemed almost thrilled with the idea, if his tone was anything to go by. That I could sympathize with though, as he has probably been a doctor for quite a while. The prospect of learning about something new, about what could perhaps be described as a new species. But I was still a little skeptical.

''Only if it's possible to do it from here. I don't want to risk anyone else finding out what I am.'' I said with a tad more serious tone than I had used this far in our conversation. Someone jealous of Carlisle's abilities, snooping in his office at the hospital when he was home. It was a leap in logic for sure, taken straight out of the movies. But I didn't want to risk it.

''I can arrange for that. If you would wait here for a moment, I can gather what I need for the samples.'' He didn't wait for me to respond in his excitement. He just got up and left the room. Guess I had underestimated just _how_ thrilled he was to learn what made me tick.

While he was doing his thing, I looked to Alice. She was still in her room, on her bed. She looked to be reading a book, at a pace that made me jealous. Vampires really are overpowered. Then again, there was probably a correlation between the amount of effort put into reading a book, and how much you appreciated it. Vampires couldn't be allowed to have the cake, and eat it too, right? There would have to be a downside.

Carlisle was back in a flash, setting several vials down on the desk, while holding onto a tube holder. ''Now, do you have an issue with needles?'' He asked, just a tad too happily. One might mistake him for a crazy person. It made me a little uncomfortable, but I shook my head in a negative, and folded up my left sleeve above the elbow.

I held out my arm for him to continue, and before long, he had three vials filled up with my blood. It didn't hurt as much as I had expected, though that could probably be put down to his experience. He extracted the needle, placing a cotton wad over the wound. Probably procedure, though it was unnecessary with me. I pried off the wad and looked upon my arm. There was a drop of blood forming, though it didn't get to grow big. Carlisle just watched me with interest, as I decided to try something.

Making sure to fold my sleeve a little higher up, I let the cloak form around my left fist. Then I let it spread up my wrist, slowly and with careful measure. I noticed that remains of what used to be a band-aid fell to the floor, now tatters. I had forgotten about that. But I put it off, as I let the cloak move further up my arm, to where it reached the wound. To my surprise, as soon as the cloak reached the blood, it hissed. The evaporation made a noise similar to what the water had done a few weeks ago, though only for a moment. It also caused red steam to emerge inside the cloak, making it a little more opaque.

''Interesting.'' Carlisle muttered, and I pulled the power back into myself again. The wound was gone without a trace, as well as the blood. As I pulled my sleeve back down, I looked to my nail. Not a trace of any stupid mistake in sight.

''Will Alice smell the blood on me?'' I asked him, my mind already out the door. He would do his tests, but for now we don't have any more answers.

''Perhaps, but it won't be that appealing to her. It smells of decay.'' He replied with his back to me, cleaning up and burning the cotton wad in a metal tray.

I was out of there before he turned back around.

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 **AN: I hope you enjoyed. And I realize this is another short chapter, for that I do apologize. I will try to ensure the next couple of chapters will be longer.**


	23. Moving Forward

**AN: I'd like to thank Anonymous4.O for some help in regards to the tone of this chapter. He has some cool stories up on this site, like one where Naruto goes to Hogwarts. Check him out if you think that sounds fun**

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 **Deadly Affection – Reimagined**

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of it's characters. I just make them do silly stuff.

 **Chapter 23: Moving Forward**

 **Bella PoV**

I was greeted with a gentle smile, as I entered Alice's room. She waited patiently on the bed as I closed it behind me, and didn't say a word as I sat down next to her. Her only move was to scoot a little further in, so that I'd have more space.

''Anything I should be aware of?'' She asked placidly. What an odd question, after I had been called into Carlisle's office. As he had stated, they do not keep secrets in the family, so if it was something she needed to be aware of, Carlisle's would have told everyone, not just me. The more obvious question would have been to ask what her dad had wanted to speak to me about. In a roundabout way, that was kind of what she was asking though. But the way she asked seemed off.

I sighed and laid down, only my left leg dangling off the edge of the bed. Turning my head to look at her, I was met with two golden orbs staring back. I could guess what she what thinking by looking at her. But she seemed serene. Calmer. More than I was used to. And it made me feel guilty.

''It's probably nothing.'' I replied, gauging her reaction. There was a slight crease at the corner of her mouth, but I couldn't ascertain why.

''Okay.'' She replied simply, and turned to look at the ceiling again. There wasn't any indication of her being upset, at least visibly. But with that tone, I knew what she was playing at. She wanted me to feel guilty, so that I'd reveal the information. I knew that. Yet it didn't make it work any less. This little imp could be so manipulative at times, it was infuriating.

Then again, I could understand the curiosity. And it wasn't as if it was something that needed to be kept secret, other than to make me feel better. Or less pitied, whatever. That does not mean I agree with her methods though.

With a sigh, I started to speak. ''It seems...'' I started, and she immediately turned to me again with a poorly hidden smile. ''… that what I am, is interfering with my menstrual cycle.'' Her smile fell as fast as it appeared, and turned to a guilty frown. Before she could speak, I gave her a blank stare. It seemed to get the message across.

''Oh. Did you figure out why?'' Again I feel guilty for denying her the opportunity to react true to herself. More than just what she would come up with in the moment. How she'd react if I hadn't blocked her powers. They were a part of her, as much as her thoughts were. Cheating be damned.

''Nothing conclusive. Carlisle took some blood samples to see if he could figure it out.'' I started out softly, trying to figure out how to continue. Alice must have sensed it, as she waited for me to speak again. ''There isn't... I don't...'' I closed my mouth again, trying to figure out what my motivation for this actually was. If I was going to apologize, I wanted to do it for the right reason.

It was sort of silly really. Being nervous about telling her that I wouldn't be an annoyance to her family a few days out of every month. Maybe that wasn't the most realistic way to look at it. It would be telling them that I wasn't normal, which they already knew. Was it that I would admit that I was defective in some way? That probably wasn't far off their mind anyway.

They had accepted me for what I was. Had protected me from harm. Had opened their home to me.

Yet I was scared. Scared that it wouldn't last. Scared that they might take all that away again. Might. I was being so scared that it was even a possibility in my mind. That I could still end up having to leave everything behind. Leave everyone behind.

I jumped out of the bed as soon as the vermilion glow erupted around my hands, not being able to stop it in time. Standing very still, I tried to get a handle on it. And everything was calm. Alice had merely sat up, still waiting for me. The other occupants seemed almost docile, besides Jasper, who was looking up in our general direction. He must be sensing my turmoil.

Only one person was messing with my cool. That being an obviously pissed vampire sprinting in our direction. The general lack of care with his surroundings, and scowl adorning his face, told me why. I had fucked up, and thought specifically about Alice's problem.

Not bothering to turn, I spoke to Alice. ''Edward is coming. He knows.'' I squared my shoulders and stood in front of the door just before the poor thing cracked with the force of Edward's kick. It's tattered remains making even more of a mess of the dent in the wall from yesterday. I really should help pay for the damages I cause.

''What is the meaning of this?!'' Edward shouted angrily. The ruckus had alerted everyone in the house, who were rapidly converging on us. Not that they were on my mind at the moment, as I found Edward angry that my hands were lit up.

He doesn't comment on it, instead looking over my shoulder to Alice. ''What does she mean, when she thinks she blocked your power?'' The aggressive tone makes the hair on the back of my hair stand up, and the cloak trickles it's way further up my wrists. He takes a step forward all of the sudden, perhaps in response to something she answered in her mind. That ticked me right off, and I put my right hand out in his direction, red mist swirling mere centimeters from his clothes.

That's when the room suddenly got crowded. Edward's eyes turned to me again, barely the hint of color left in the edges. But that wasn't what interested me in that moment. My entire world narrowed down to the feeling of heat, just begging to be devoured. It was just beyond the edge of my fingertips. It sang of sweet pleasure, if only I wanted it. Just reach out. Take it. It hadn't occurred to me how starved for energy I was. And the solution was right there. Ecstasy, just begging to be experienced. So why was I hesitating.

 _Never again._

It wasn't me. I didn't want this. I never want to harm another being. Not if I had any say in the matter. With a mix of pride and disgust, I lowered my hand and forced the cloak to vanish. I would still need to get some energy, sooner rather than later. But that could wait.

Edward eyed me cautiously, having gone silent after his question. The entire room had, in fact. They seemed to be eyeing me warily. It did not help that the feeling of heat emanating from all of them filled the room. Made it feel stuffy. Teased me. Grated on my resistance.

''It means exactly what you think it means. I can't see the future, at this point in time.'' Alice said in a tone as cold as I've ever heard her. Guess the calm explanation route went out the window. It did not seem to go over well with Edward, but Carlisle stopped him by putting a hand on his shoulder.

''Calm down son.'' He said, which stopped the retort on Edward's lips. He then turned to Alice. ''Since when?'' There was no hostility in the question, only what seemed like a desire to understand.

''Since yesterday, after I left to hunt.'' Alice's replied in the same tone, only to snarl when Edward scoffed. It made me just about loose it right there.

Carlisle was clearly about to ask another question, but I interrupted everyone in the form of barging into Edwards shoulder on my way towards the door. In my agitated state, I appear to have used more force than I should have, as both of us grunted from the impact. And my shoulder fucking hurt, having rammed into what is essentially a living boulder. Un-living boulder? Ahh who cares.

Emmett and Jasper got out of my way in time, and I felt the pressure ease up as soon as I was out of the room. ''I need a minute.'' I said over my shoulder as I headed downstairs. I didn't have enough presence of mind to notice if anyone replied. I only focused on getting outside to the closest tree I could find.

The grand fir in question was so big I didn't even have a guess as to how tall it was. All I knew was the bliss that made me weak to my knees, as I put my hand to it's bark. Then the other. For what felt like a really long time, it was my whole world. The feeling of vertigo was what brought me back.

Cold hands pressing underneath my arms startled me at first, though I was more surprised when I saw that they belonged to Jasper, of all people. He easily lifted me back up to my feet, and made sure I was steady on my feet before releasing me. By all accounts, I seem to have started falling backwards after draining the tree.

Which, when I managed to look at it, was much worse for wear than I would have imagined. Not counting the gashes left my my fingers digging into the wood, and all the bark surrounding them being gone, the whole thing looked ragged. Needles had started falling off nearly every major branch, and the smaller ones were completely bare.

''Thanks.'' I managed to get out, while observing it. I felt out the tree to assess the internal damage, and noted that it was far from devoid of energy. But most of it was located within the trunk itself, and not in it's branches.

''Don't mention it.'' Jasper replied with a smile. But there was unease in his stance. Like he was unsure of what I might do. I took a few seconds to calm myself down, to find my center again. Almost as if it was loathed to do so, the pressure in the back of my mind slowly disappeared.

I took note of the tree relative to their house. It was nearly straight in front of the entrance to their house. With the unfortunate state I had left it in, it would serve as a reminder every time I came by. And it would also be easy to keep tabs on, to see what effects my draining it would have upon it later.

''I've a question, if you don't mind?'' Jasper spoke clearly, without hint of his southern drawl. I turned and nodded for him to continue. ''Is it common that you need to drain energy this often?'' I didn't get what he was talking about for the first few seconds, before the clearing I had made a mess of came back to me. The first few times down in Phoenix happened in only a few days, but after I had learned to control the cloak I had barely needed to drain something a few times a week. Not once every day. And not this damned much either.

''No, no it is not.'' I answered grimly, before feeling the unease start to be smothered by a wave of calm. One I could tell was Jasper's doing. It was irrational to worry too much though. I had managed to stop myself from doing something stupid. So I let it wash over me, and let my worries rest. ''Thanks.'' I muttered.

He smiled in return, looking back to the tree again. Then a question popped up in my mind. ''Why don't you seem to care about Alice's lack of visions?'' It probably didn't sound as innocent a question as I'd intended. But that didn't seem to matter.

''Because I've never seen her happier than she has been these last few days.'' His drawl came back this time, as he ended the words with a saddened exhale. It became very apparent to me then, how much he still cared for Alice. And extremely awkward now that the fact that they had been _together_ sprung back into my mind. They may be vampires, and things might be different for them. But it sure seemed like a boy who hadn't shed his feelings completely to me.

I might just be reading too much into it, in fact it is quite likely. But I also know that, if his words were true, I have nothing to fear from Jasper. Taking a few steady steps in his direction, I put my hand on his shoulder. I didn't feel the need to speak the words, as he knew what I was feeling. Even if it was a jumbled mess, I trust he would get the picture.

Then I turned around and walked back into the house. As soon as I opened the door, I heard that the screaming match was still on. ''You knew?!'' It was Edward, of course. I was beginning to think he'd never left the broody teenager stage of his life, even though he had walked this earth for more than a century.

As I ascended the stairs I heard more of the loud conversation, though I couldn't decipher the words. I got to the right floor just as Edward stomped out of Alice's room, rushing past me in a blur. The scowl etched on his face just before he left lingered in my mind.

''Come on in Bella.'' Alice said from just beyond the door, and I entered the room feeling a little uneasy. It quickly vanished though, as Alice sashayed to my side and laced her fingers through mine. A huge, dorky smile on her face. How she managed to do that, while still looking like the sexy little imp she was, I couldn't quite tell.

I tore my eyes from hers and looked upon the others in the room. Rosalie was curled into Emmett's embrace to my left, while Carlisle stood to my right. I couldn't stop the frown from curling my lips, as I looked to the patriarch. His face was stoic, but at least he didn't seem mad.

''I'm sorry we tried to hide this from all of you.'' I said, after clearing my throat. Alice just smiled and looked to Carlisle.

''It's understandable, considering the circumstances.'' He replied. ''I trust that it wasn't intentional on your part. But I must ask, do you know how to stop whatever is blocking her abilities?'' While it was nice to know that he didn't hold it against me, there was still some tension there.

''I don't, sorry. We think it has something to do with the blue cloak I sprouted, but I haven't done that again in her presence since.'' I explained, not quite willing to entertain the idea that what I had done was permanent. I had an idea about something that could possibly work, if I understand my powers correctly. But I was in no way ready for that right now. If her abilities didn't come back on it's own however, I'd just have to try.

''I have faith that it'll work itself out. For now however, I think Bella needs to get home. It's getting quite late.'' Alice said while dragging me back out of the room. I made sure to watch my step, so I didn't stumble on some of the debris left by the door.

I barely had time to say hello to Esme on the way out, as she arrived just as we were leaving. I feared what her take on the issue that had been raised would be for a second, though it passed as her warm smile grazed her lips. If the ability to reassure someone was a superpower, I have a pin on Esme having that.

''So what's the rush?'' I asked as we got into my car, starting the old beast up. To my surprise, it didn't roar as loud as it used to. I looked to Alice, who just smiled. Then I opened my window and called out to the resident mechanic. ''Thank you Rosalie!'' I'd have to talk to her about what she had done, and perhaps what she was planning to do soon. And how much she wanted for the work she'd do. But that could wait.

''So, yes, what's the rush?'' I asked again. The sound of the engine was still there as I pulled us out of their driveway, but I couldn't stop smiling at how much easier it was to hold a conversation now.

''I wanted to get out of the house, so we could finish our conversation in peace.'' Alice replied smoothly. My mind urged me to deflect, and divert the conversation to something more pleasant. But that wouldn't be fair.

''Right.'' I started, trying to figure out where conversation ended last time. Also, I waited until we made it onto the main road. ''So I started trying to explain why I didn't ask you, before I went to Carlisle with my issue. I had come up with excuses in my mind, but I don't want to lie to you, so I was trying to figure out the initial cause for my hesitation.'' At that point I knew I was just rambling, but Alice didn't seem bothered. So I let my walls down for once.

''I think it's because I'm scared. Frankly, I'm terrified. If you guys weren't here, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to stay sane. And that makes me paranoid about things that I learn about myself. I know it's completely irrational of me to think that my not having a period would make you leave, but I just can't stop my brain from fearing the worst. So I make excuses. And neglect to mention... stuff.'' She stared at me for several seconds before she replied.

''What sort of stuff?'' She sounded cautious now, and I didn't blame her. While I meant smaller details, the way I phrased it could mean just about anything,

''Like when I... _helped_ , Jake. It was using the blue cloak. And we don't know if the effect it has on you is affected by proximity, so it might have made your problem worse. I'm sorry.'' I explained, and was relieved to see her shoulders drop ever-so-slightly. There was also my little climbing trip, but it would probably not do her any good to hear about that right now. No need to air _all_ the dirty laundry.

''Oh that's okay, I'm not too worried about it.'' Alice responded in a somewhat nonchalant way. While that should probably concern me more than it did, I opted to trust Alice's faith that her power would come back. I would, however, make sure not to let the blue cloak emerge again until after that had happened. Then we could experiment on how it affected her.

I felt more confident though, now that I had seen her reaction to me revealing my worries. I knew it was just my brain being paranoid. So I let my mind settle for a bit while the conversation had lulled, singing quietly along to the music in the cab. Alice joined shortly after, and I ended up listening to her instead of singing with her. Her voice was so soft, almost more so than the original singer. I'd bet Alice would make a killing if she ever wanted to get into the singing business. Though that would probably bring a lot of unwanted attention along, which is probably why she hadn't. That I knew of, at the very least. I wonder if any of them ever tried their hand at singing before the world went digital. They had certainly been around long enough for that to be the case.

''Would it be correct of me to surmise that you turn blue when you're happy, like you turn red when angry or upset?'' Alice asked out of the blue, and I swerved ever so slightly into the opposite lane. Not that it caused any issues, as the road was empty of traffic.

''That's right. Why?'' I was curious to know what she was thinking. Had she figured something out about my abilities? Or better yet, had she come up with an idea of what I might _be_?

''I'm thinking that maybe the two cloaks are opposites. Can you drain stuff while you're blue? Or have you tried feeding energy to something while red?'' Alice was getting lively at this point, and started to speak really quickly.

Now, I hadn't really paid much attention to what I could _do_ with the different cloaks. But it certainly made a bit of sense that they may be opposites. The emotions that trigger them are about as opposite as it gets.

I tried to think back to when I learned what I could do at first. The pulse of energy that I destroyed that tree with was while I was red. But was that different than giving away energy, like I did to Jake? It acted more as an explosion or something, the way it destroyed the trunk.

''I'm not sure if I can give away energy with the red cloak. Even if I could, it would probably not be good for whoever I did it to, with how everything I touch reacts to it. I did make that tree blow up in the clearing behind my house, but I don't think that was the same thing. And I've never tried draining anything with the blue cloak up. Not that I'm in any hurry to try that before your powers come back.'' I answered honestly, observing her reaction from the corner of my eye.

She gazed out at the road ahead of us for a while without a word. After a while, I stopped expecting the conversation to continue. We were at the limits of our knowledge on the matter, and for us to get any further, I'd have to test our hypothesis. Not that I had any misgivings about Alice thinking about other things that might have to be tested in the future. It seems she still thinks a while ahead, even without her visions.

It ended up being silent between us for the remainder of the trip, and I was sort of bummed out when I parked in my driveway. The clock on the dashboard read ten-thirteen, and it was a school night.

''I think I should let you get some sleep.'' Alice spoke before I even had the chance to ask her to stay, and screw up my sleep schedule. Almost as if she'd read my mind. She giggled as I let out a disgruntled sigh. ''Humans and your self-destructive ways.'' Alice laughed as she booped my nose.

''I thought we'd established that I wasn't a human.'' I argued back, despite the futility of it all. Alice always gets her way.

''You're human when it comes to the need for sleep.'' She giggled as she got out of the cab, and I did the same. She walked me up to the porch, stopping at the edge. Like some silly, hormone driven boy, dropping off his date. Guess it was sorta the same.

I turned around to see her stand up and down on the tips of her toes. A wide smile adorning her face. ''How do you do it?'' I asked with a huff.

''Whatever do you mean?'' Alice asked innocently, her smile showing those razor-sharp teeth. A chill ran up my spine again, imagination running wild. But I ignored it. Damn pixie.

''Seem so perfect, while acting so dorky.'' I responded, trying my best not to smile back. I failed, miserably.

''All part of my charm!'' Alice exclaimed, lifting both her arms into the air in cheer. I chortled at her silly antics, once again asking myself how this was real life. The urge to tease her was too strong though.

''What, like your _lucky_ charms, you mean?'' I couldn't even stop the snort at my own joke. Jeez am I hopeless. The reaction from Alice was almost instantaneous, with her hands becoming fists at her hips, and a struggling frown replacing her smile. With her being a couple of steps below me, this made her seem even more like a sassy child, and I couldn't help but erupt in laughter.

If I had been powered up at all, I might have noticed the smirk on her lips before she blurred in front of me. Next thing I knew was the sound of a smack, and the sensation of burning on my rump. I choked on my laughter, and started jumping on the spot, rubbing where she'd slapped me.

When it became more manageable, I looked back to her face again. The devilish smirk on her lips making my knees weak for a moment. Then the sense of outrage made my spine tingle as the power spread in me again. But I pushed it back down. I asked for it, by making fun of something I know she's insecure about. In the end, I had to smile back at her. She'd won this one. _Nearly._

''Turning to violence just shows you couldn't come up with a comeback.'' I taunted, still rubbing my flank. She just stuck her tongue out at me with her eyes closed. I giggled and returned the gesture. ''So... Goodnight then, I guess...'' I said quietly.

I was about to turn around when Alice spoke. ''What, no goodnight-kiss for the amazing leprechaun?'' She joked, a glint in her eye.

I felt my face redden in a rush of heat, as my nerves came to the forefront. Uncertainty about how I should proceed with this was about to get the best of me, when Alice winked.

''Right, going slow. If that's how you want it Swan, I'll make you beg for it. Just you wait.'' She spoke in her husky tone, and the combination of that and the nerves made me have to hold onto the railing, as I huffed out an uneasy breath. The effect this little pixie has on me, man.

''Right...'' I muttered, still trying to get my legs to listen to me.

Alice grinned one last time before making half a turn, whipping back twice as fast. ''One last thing.'' She said with a pause, and I nodded for her to continue. ''What would you say, if I asked if I could drive you to school tomorrow?'' She asked, while bouncing on the balls of her feet.

It seemed odd to me at first, as I already have a car that I could drive to school with. We just got here in it. But then I understood the meaning behind it, being that we're explicitly together. For the whole school to see. As if the flowers, and scene in the cafeteria wasn't enough. It was cute though, that she seemed nervous about it. It ruffled my jimmies.

''I would say, that sounds like a cool idea.'' I responded with a smile, and again she cheered like a loon.

''Awesome! Goodnight Bella!'' Alice said as she started twirling her way towards the edge of the forest.

''Goodnight Alice!'' I called after her, and soon after I lost sight of her.

I snorted, going over the last two minutes in my head. What an awkward couple we'd make, if this was anything to go by. I couldn't deny how happy she made me though. As I opened the door, I had to be careful not to rip the thing out of its frame. And I was met by a cold and dark house, in which I could hear Charlie snoring from the living room. He'd been out when I left the house earlier, and by my guess, hadn't moved since. I found him in his chair where I'd left him, the TV still going with the volume low. With the jeans and shirt he had on, I thought he might be a little cold. So I unfurled a blanket and put it over him, being careful not to wake him. His snores halted for a second, before he rolled his head to the side and continued with even more fervor.

I had to stifle my laughter, as I set to cleaning the table. He'd had a couple of beers after dinner, so that's probably why he was still out. Bringing the cans to the kitchen, I set about washing the dishes. While it was a menial job and it was getting late, I relished in it as I got some time to reflect on what had happened today. It had been one hell of a day, from getting outed in school as both a lesbian, and a potential partner to a Cullen. Then to panicking about my health because of what I was. And the whole drama with her family about her powers being gone.

It was nice that it ended on a high-note though. I even got some training in being careful with my extra strength. I wonder if it was like this all the time for the Cullen's. It had to be something similar, right? I don't know if I'd be able to measure my strength like Alice had when she slapped me though. I also relished in the tender burn on my flank, a smile creeping up on me.

I was in a rush to be done with it by the end, putting the dishes up to dry before sneakily running upstairs. With everything being what it is, a shower was in order. It was a good thing there were handlebars in the shower. Shame I couldn't quite control my strength though. It made a lot of noise as it broke, and for a moment I feared I might have woken Charlie. A few seconds later, having let my senses spread out, I saw that he was none the wiser, and set to clean the mess up.

By the look of it, the screw threads had come undone. It was an easy fix, but nothing I could hide from him. I'd have to explain it in the morning.

Then, with a smile on my face, I went to bed. I was out before I hit the pillow.

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I awoke feeling more refreshed than I had in a while. The alarm was still unfamiliar, though I didn't mind it as much today. I got a fresh set of clothes from my drawer, and got ready for the day. I even skipped down the stairs, smelling bacon from the kitchen.

''Morning dad!'' I said to Charlie, who was sitting there with his morning coffee, reading the news. ''Good morning Bells.'' He replied in a cheerful voice, sparing me only a glance before looking back at the newspaper. A plate with food sitting opposite him, and I didn't wait for an invite. He smiled at me through bleary eyes as I scarfed down the two pieces of toast. ''Calm down there Bells, or you're going to choke on it,'' He teased, his attention returning to the paper in his hands.

To appease him, and not to seem _too_ unnatural in my appetite, I chugged some juice before forcing the last pieces of toast down my throat. A loud belch pushing past my lips before I could stop it. Charlie just laughed, as I looked sheepish.

I drank some more juice to ease my hungry stomach. It felt as if I could eat several times more than this, but I'd wait for him to leave first. ''So, I managed to break the handlebar in the shower yesterday.'' I started out, hoping it didn't spoil his good mood.

''Yeah, I found the pieces. You didn't hurt yourself, did you?'' He asked, his voice muffled by the paper. Whatever he was reading must be interesting.

Heat spread over my face, remembering how it happened. ''No, I'm fine. Do you want me to get the parts to fix it?'' I asked, my voice a little unsteady at first.

''Nah, I can handle it. You can focus on getting home before midnight.'' Charlie replied jokingly, looking at me by the corner of his eye.

''I was home at nine-thirty. Not my fault you sleep like the dead in your chair.'' I countered teasingly.

''Uh-huh.'' Was all Charlie replied with, a knowing look in his eye.

''Okay, it was a little after ten, but that doesn't matter. It's not like you've set a curfew for me.'' I said defensively, crossing my arms in defiance.

This time Charlie put down his paper. I expected him to be serious at this point, but there was still a smile on his face. ''Yet.'' He said with a grin. The look on my face made him laugh out loud, before he finished his coffee and got up.

I didn't mistake it for idle chat however. There was a hint of seriousness there. He wasn't perfectly fine with me being out until late with the Cullen's. If that was because of the things I had told him so far, or just the part about being late home was unknown to me, but it was there. Thankfully he still trusted me enough to go along with it. But I had no illusion that he wouldn't put the foot down if things went too far.

''I gotta get going. You have any special dinner recipes I should think of when I get groceries later?'' Dad asked as he walked out into the hall, putting on his jacket.

''Nothing I could think of right now. Have a nice day, and be careful at work dad.'' I said to him, putting my plate over by the chopping board.

''Always am. See you later Bells.'' He answered, opening the door. He waited for a second, giving me time to respond.

''See you later dad.'' I waved at him through the doorway, and with the smack of the door closing, the house turned quiet.

Not that I minded the quiet. I still felt like I might burst out singing from how happy I was. Two seconds later, I was humming to the tune of The Logical Song by Scooter, while preparing a couple of sandwiches.

I heard a beep in my pocket as I sat down and started eating. It was a text from Alice, just saying she was on her way. I barely managed to get the food down before the rumble of an engine was heard outside. The deep rumble made me wonder what car she was driving. The Volvo didn't sound like that, and I'm pretty sure Rosalie wouldn't let Alice borrow her car. Not that the Beemer sounded like that either.

I put my plate in the sink, and took a couple of seconds to wash my face and brush of any crumbs before getting my stuff. There was no honking to tell me of her impatience, which I took as a good sign. When I finally got on my shoes and opened the door, I stumbled in the doorway. Outside was bright yellow Porsche, parked in my driveway.

It took a moment for me to drag my jaw off of the porch, and for me to lock up after me. And with eager steps I headed for the passenger side of the car, opening up the car to rows of sharp teeth, adorned by a small pixie's face. ''Morning Bells!'' Alice greeted with a cheshire grin.

I was at a loss for words, so I sat down in the sports seat and strapped in, already fearing for my life. Once my heart-rate was back down to reasonable levels, I piped up. ''Good morning Alice.''

''What do you think?'' She asked, rubbing the steering-wheel gently. What? What do I think about the car? Besides it being a deathtrap in the hands of vampires, who drive like maniacs with reasonably fast cars. No, this is fine. Juuuuust fine.

''I'm wondering if you want the kids at school to be shocked by us arriving together, or because of your car.'' I answered a little more level-headed. Good thing she wasn't Edward. He would no doubt throw a fit about me being nervous.

''I want the kids to envy me for both the babes in my life.'' Alice answered huskily, as she hit the accelerator. I hope this handle holds up better than the last.

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 **AN: That's another one out of the way. I hope you all enjoyed. And as always, please let me know if you notice anything you believe to be wrong, or off.**


	24. Out and Proud

**AN: So I sort of made it in the nick of time. It was harder to get started writing again than I expected. But I hope now that I've finished this, the next two won't be as hard to start again. I hope you all enjoy it, and thanks for being patient with me!**

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 **Deadly Affection – Reimagined**

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of it's characters. I just make them do silly stuff.

 **Chapter 24: Out and Proud**

 **Bella PoV**

We rode in silence on our way to school. I had taken to holding Alice's hand as we drove, the stereo playing some song I didn't recognize. It held elements where it seemed like it might be classic music, but then it suddenly changed it's beat to a frenzied cacophony at seemingly random intervals. It was oddly entrancing.

''Can I ask you another question?'' Alice piped up, letting go of my hand to turn the music down. I turn to her, and see that she's staring at me with an odd look. I nodded for her to continue, trying to understand it. ''Would you want to know you were going to die before it happened, if given the chance?''

Wow. Ok. So that's a bit heavy this early in the morning. No wonder she looked weird. ''What brought this on? Is everything alright?'' I asked her, keeping an eye on her facial expression. A general look of surprise was all I found.

''What? Nothing, I was just trying to continue our little game. To learn more about each other?'' She replied, and I felt stupid for getting all paranoid about it. Given her talent, as morose as it was, it would probably come up at times. Though her visions weren't set in stone, so if it ever did come up they would know how to avoid it.

Then again, according to old proverbs one usually finds one's fate, on the road you take to avoid it. Or some similar nonsense. I don't believe in fate anyway. ''Right, sorry. Well... I don't know. I haven't actually thought about it. But I think... if my death was absolutely certain, then I wouldn't want to know.'' Although, how could one know for certain unless they tried their best to stop it? One might try harder, if they thought it to be the end. Or they might not. I guess that's where it becomes certain, when one gives up.

An issue came to mind then. Would Alice want to know? With her ability, she will likely see her own death before it happens. Unless I do something about it. I could do that for her, if she wanted. But the question died on my tongue, as she suddenly lurched back in her seat with a gasp.

I knew why immediately, having seen her get visions before. The far-away look in her eyes, and the way she froze up completely. I would have been happy for this, if not for the fact that we were in a car, driving down a busy road. And there was a turn coming up in about five hundred meters. Somehow she had managed to maintain the speed, and there were no break lights blazing in front of us. So if she just managed to get out of her funk in time, there shouldn't be a problem. Or so I kept telling myself, as we started to get closer and closer to the white line on the right.

''Alice? Alice, come back to reality. Come on you little pixie, before you wreck your nice car.'' It fell on deaf ears of course. Well, not really. She'd told me several times how sorry she was whenever she zoned out like that. Sensory input gets in and she remembers what happened, but she can't respond to it in the moment. Which seems really inconvenient, considering if she ever got into a fight with another vampire, even a fraction of a second not paying attention could spell disaster.

I grabbed onto the steering wheel, and tried to turn it to the left so we wouldn't run off the road. But even using my improved strength, I couldn't budge it. Alice's grip was just too tight. ''Alice! Come on you crazy imp! Get it together!'' The sound and vibrations that started rumbling through the right side of the car alerted me to the fact that we were getting closer to the ditch with each passing second.

I started to panic when I noticed break lights ahead. There was only seconds left before we'd crash. On the bright side, I didn't have to worry about the ditch. I felt it coming closer and closer to the surface as time slowed down. It was the only move I had left right now to stop an impact. Seems I have to endure Edward hating on me a few days longer. And stop Alice from... experiencing me or whatever.

I saw the blue light erupt from my chest in the corner of my vision, just as Alice blinked. Her eyes raced from side to side to take in her surroundings, before she slammed on the brakes. I immediately powered back down, somewhat surprised at just how fast that worked. It was a little uncomfortable, how the pressure built up inside me as I tried to force it back.

The car lurched forwards as we came to a complete stop. I didn't look to see how much space we had before we'd hit the car in front. My eyes were focused on Alice. How she suddenly seemed to start breathing again. How her eyes fluttered as she inhaled. How the gold in her eyes seemed to swirl as she turned to me as her eyes dilated ever so slightly. Would the cramped quarters of the car make it more difficult for her to resist?

Our staring contest came to a quick conclusion as a car-horn started blaring behind us for a prolonged period of time. Alice quickly put the car back into gear and started driving again, and I noticed her swallow a couple of times. Which indicated to me that I had gotten her hunger up. Yet she still proceeded to breathe in through her nose.

''Are you okay?'' I asked, returning my focus to the road. I could feel tingling in my extremities as I exhaled, melting into the chair. I could do with a little less adrenaline in the morning, even if I was having a great day so far.

''Yeah I'm fine, sorry about the scare.'' Alice replied with a forced chuckle. My heart was still racing in my chest, such that I could feel the blood pumping through my veins. I don't doubt the vampire in the car was extremely aware of this too. ''Hey, did you go blue again?''

It confused me that she had to ask. ''Yeah... I had to, to get you to stop the car before you wrecked it.'' I answered, annoyed with myself for answering with an excuse. ''You were right though. Your visions did come back...''

''I'm always right.'' Alice replied. There was an urge to remind her that that wasn't the case, but I held my tongue. At least she wasn't mad at me for mucking it up again. I looked at her, just to make sure. I was given a stark reminder that she was, in fact, a predator. Her jaw was clenched and eyes narrowed. I would have expected her upper lip to be trembling, if not for the fact that they were as marble.

''So, did you see anything interesting?'' I asked timidly as we pulled up to the parking lot. I could see eyes turning to us as she found a parking spot near Rosalie's car. Among them was Angela, who was sitting with the rest of the gang, though the others hadn't noticed.

''Why yes I did.'' She replied with a forced smile, turning off the engine and getting out in a hurry. I followed suit, barely remembering my pack. The Alice that greeted me outside the car was like a completely different person. Now she was all smiles, as she stood there waiting for me come grab her hand at the back of the car. I took her hand all the same, as we strolled towards the entrance. It was a bit eerie to see her switch like that, but I guess I was right about her being able to fool me with acting. If I wasn't in the car earlier, I don't think I would know she was upset at all.

I started questioning myself on how badly I'd fucked up. I mean, she hadn't really been upset the last time I turned blue. Well, unless you count the fact that it made her stalk and kill a fucking bear. This didn't seem like Alice to me at all, at least if it was the case that I had caused this. She would know that to turn around like this would get me upset. Or did she. In my eyes, if Alice was indeed upset with me over this, I would have expected her to stay in the car for a minute, and talk it out. Or at the very least not try to put forth an image for the other students that wasn't true. She didn't strike me as petty or vain.

It didn't negate the worry completely, but it helped me see things more clearly. Her mood had switched for sure, after I had forced her out of her vision. But that was only necessary because of us nearly colliding. With how everything I knew about Alice told me she had more compassion than most, that also has a dark side. It can make it easier to assume the burden of guilt. We had nearly crashed, right in the middle of a conversation about me wanting to know I was going to die ahead of time. It was entirely likely that she was blaming herself for almost causing an accident. And while even I didn't know the extent of what my red cloak could protect me from, I had no doubt I would have been quite alright with the blue one. But I hadn't told them about how... invincible, it made me feel.

We had gotten to the end of the parking lot when I started paying attention to my surroundings. The hushed whispers of students was like a low hum to my ears. ''Do I want to know?'' I whispered to Alice, who just smiled and wrapped my arm around her shoulder, placing hers around my hip. Guess the commentary probably wasn't that flattering, but then again we're in high school. When is it ever.

It also reinforced my suspicion that she wasn't mad at me, but I wanted to know for sure. ''Hey Alice. You weren't mad at me before because I messed up your visions again, right?'' I made sure to keep my voice low as we went into the building, almost whispering into her hair.

She turned to me with a confused smile, and I suddenly became very aware of how close our faces were. ''What? Why would I be mad about that?'' She whispered back. Before I had the time to continue my questioning, she turned to look down the corridor. I felt her grip tighten around me for a second, as she started waving to someone. And at the end of the hall, I saw Jasper standing alone. He didn't look as affected as I had come to expect when at school, and was actually smiling for once. Which I noticed several of the humans close to him also take note of, some staring for entirely too long. ''I'm also fairly sure my visions are still there, so there is no need to worry about that.'' She stage whispered as she led us toward her brother.

I tried not to stumble, but somehow my feet just wouldn't cooperate with me. The squeak of the linoleum as I tried to regain my balance drew even more attention to us. To the point of where my blush just would let me be. I wanted to ask her what she meant by that. I was so sure... Well I guess I can't really know if I did pull her out of her vision or not, but the timing seemed awfully accurate. Could it be that it wasn't my fault to begin with? That seemed unlikely as well. My blue cloak seemed to have been the only irregular occurrence within that short time-frame to where Alice noticed her visions being gone. But perhaps that played a part in itself. Time. I only flared up briefly in the car, maybe a second or so. Or it could be something that isn't actually connected to the cloak, but rather a secondary thing that kicked in? Not that I can remember sensing anything.

I was so in my own head that I didn't register Jasper trying to greet me. ''Welcome back.'' He said with a smile.

''Sorry, got a little lost in my own head for a minute. Good morning Jasper.'' I took a step forward and held out my hand to shake. He took it after a second of hesitation, and I felt his cold hand very gently try to form itself around mine. It was a little awkward as I tried to shake it up and down, with him having to let his arm be moved for anything to happen. But we worked it out over a laugh, and the three of us started walking further into the school. Alice in the middle, and all three of us holding hands. It was not hard to guess what the whispers around us were about, given the amount of people staring at us from behind.

''Anyone bothering you guys?'' Jasper asked, and it felt somewhat surreal. He must surely hear what they are saying all around us. But then again, they weren't actually bothering us.

''Not really. Though you might want to loose Mike when you're heading to sixth period, Bella.'' Alice said as if thinking nothing of it. What an odd way to warn me. Clear and concise. Who knew she had it in her. ''Hey! When am I ever not straight to the point?'' She leveled me a look that would probably terrify any other human in this school. But I could see the hidden mirth in her eyes.

''Well, there is the whole thing where you played me like a fiddle, so I wouldn't run away.'' I was much worse than her, trying to pretend to be hurt. Jasper chuckled quietly behind her.

''She's got you there Alice.'' He piped up, but chose not to look in our direction, finding the ceiling much more interesting. ''So, your sight is back then?'' He added a little more subtly. She just nodded and resumed to looking ahead, the playful attitude seeming to have vanished.

I quickly understood that the two vampires were leading us to my class as we navigated the halls. ''Should I tell Edward that we're fine, or would it be better to wait for lunch?'' I asked them, completely failing in my attempt to change the subject.

''He already knows.'' Alice replied without missing a beat, tapping our hands to the side of her head. Right, mind reader. Wonder how he's going to take the news. It's hard to make a guess, as he seems to change his mind on how he feels about me every time we meet.

And so we walked in silence the rest of the way, whispers following us with every step.

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I was a little anxious as I made my way to second period, having avoided Mike as best I could on the way there. I still had to deal with Edward, and I had noticed him looking in my direction through the walls. Probably already privy to every concocted scenario in my head. But I defied my trepidation and sat down in my seat without speaking to him. Without even looking at him, even though he knew I did it intentionally, I pretended like he didn't exist. Even as he stared into my back from across the classroom most of the period. Try as I might, I wasn't able to follow along with Mr. Jefferson through the lecture.

I was starting to get tense by the end, and as such my mood was steadily dipping into the red spectrum. I think I might actually have chewed Mike out if he had tried to start bothering me as I packed my things, but that didn't seem to be an issue. He was called on by Jefferson just as the bell rang. The little imp sure was annoyingly accurate in her predictions by the looks of it. Maybe I wouldn't actually need to _try_ to avoid him. But then, would I be able to before gym started? I pondered the issue as I headed to Trig, meeting up with Jessica on the way there. She seemed oddly quiet, only saying hello before walking in silence. It quickly started annoying me.

''You're not one for awkward silences... Speak your mind Jessica.'' I said, bumping into her shoulder gently. After a brief look at me, she looked down at floor. It seemed as if she was mulling it over, with how she curled her lips sideways.

''Well... Don't get me wrong, but... Well..'' She started mumbling quietly, keeping an eye on the riveting chessboard design of the floor tiles.

''Just say it plain.'' There was perhaps a bit more bite to my words than I intended, by the way she looked at me. I held my hands out to indicate regret at the outburst, somehow managing an apologetic grimace.

''How can you pretend everything is normal?!'' Jess blurted out in one go, loud enough for bystanders to hear. More stares. Yay.

But I think I understood her. The flustered look as Alice came over with the rose yesterday. The timid response from her earlier. She was envious. Perhaps she had even experienced an attraction for another girl, but she had been dissuaded by the stigma. Not that it was my place to pry. But it helped me find a way to navigate the conversation.

''What do you mean?'' I opted to play dumb. To reinforce just how stupid the stigma was. She took the bait hook, line and sinker. The way her face twisted was almost comical. This also had the unfortunate side effect that we stopped walking.

''How can you pretend you aren't blatantly showing off that you're... you're...'' She hissed in an attempt to whisper. Not that it helped, considering it was louder than the other conversations going on around us. Kind of a dick move, to bring in the general audience like that. Though it wasn't necessarily her intention. But in the end, it did involve them in a way, so I'd just have to weather any possible blow back from them eventually. Wonder if Alice saw this as well.

''That I'm gay? What does that matter?'' It was crucial that I don't make her see me as opposition at this moment. That would only lead her to getting defensive, and reinforcing her own conviction that it's wrong. And I'd probably loose her as a friend in the long run.

''It's not... Normal!'' I heard in her voice the frustration that I expected to be there. Or was that confirmation bias? Maybe, but there was still hope. By now, a few people around us had started to listen in. Most seemed to be curious, which wasn't a problem. But I noticed a couple of older boys sneering from the corner. I also noticed Emmett leaning against a locker not far behind them with a grin on his face.

''So?'' I replied, emphasizing my disapproval by crossing my arms. It could come off as defensive as well, but that was a risk I'd have to take. ''I understand that we're brought up to consider a man and woman the norm. It was necessary for our species to get where it is today. But when you get down to it, what does it matter if someone wants to spend their time with someone of their own sex?'' I said clearly, so everyone that had gathered around could hear. ''Look at it from a practical perspective. By 1960 there were an estimated three billion humans alive. By 2000 that had doubled to six. In forty years we managed to double our population. And it's expected that the rate will only increase in the future. So it's not like a few percentages of the population opting to take themselves out of the business of procreation is ever going to make us go extinct. Not that the ladies have to opt out of that entirely anyway.'' By this point the hallway was silent, or close enough. There were still students further down the hall, though it seemed the ones passing by stopped to listen.

Jessica's mouth opened and closed a few times, and it seemed she wanted to respond. But douchebag one and two didn't yet seem convinced, so I felt I had to hammer it home. ''And as for the 'moral' argument on the matter, what are morals but a set of rules to ensure the continuation of our species? When there are millions dying of starvation each year, who the fuck is going to claim the moral high ground, when it would only exacerbate the problem? We've actually beaten the game of survival on this planet so thoroughly, that we only consider apex predators a fucking nuisance when they end up killing a some livestock.'' I felt myself start to get worked up as I spoke. The profanity was probably not necessary for most of those listening, but it seemed like it was starting to convince one of the douchebags. The other dude seemed angry, and started pushing him. Probably the leader.

''So to sum it all up for you Jess, the reason that I don't mind the fact that my gay relationship is common knowledge, is because it really doesn't matter in the long run. I am not neglecting any duties, if there can even be such a thing, and I'm not hurting anyone else. If people are too narrow-minded to see that, why should I value their opinions on the matter?''

Jess closed her mouth, with a far-away look in her eyes. There were murmurs starting to flare up around us, just as I noticed the head douchebag elbow his way through the crowd. His friend was still near the corner, and it looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here. When he noticed Emmett start to move into the crowd after the head honcho however, he seemed to reluctantly follow along. Which I saw Emmett take note of out of the corner of his eye.

To be fair, they wouldn't even have a chance against Emmett even if it was two on one. Maybe if he was human? Nah, probably not even then. The vampire didn't even seem bothered in any case, with the casual smile still stuck on his face. But he kept his distance, as head douche got to the front.

''Oh yeah? Well it doesn't matter how you try to spin it, you're still a dyke!'' The shit managed to croak out, much louder than he needed to, to get everyone's attention. The self-assured cocky grin on his face, as oohs and aahs was heard from the crowd.

Had I still felt like I did when I left the classroom, I might have entertained knocking the little bitch out. But even as heated I had gotten, trying to explain myself to Jess, I felt sorta happy. I didn't even feel the need to turn to face him fully, only turning my head in his direction. ''I wonder when you feel the most hypocritical. Spewing that shit here, or when you're at home, jacking off to lesbian porn.'' I smirked to Jessica and gently tried to nudge her in the direction of the next class.

I did keep track of the kids movements, almost expecting him to lunge. He wasn't that far away from us, and I had a bad track record when antagonizing pubescent boys. He did seem to recoil at my immediate dismissal, but I now learned why Emmett was standing in the middle of the crowd.

''OOOH BUUUURN!'' His booming voice echoed in the halls, and several students starting laughing along with his jeer. His face burned with embarrassment, and I saw his his posture change to one that expressed anger, as he stalked in the opposite direction of me and Jess. I decided to take note of his features, so I could recognize the douche if he ever tried to get back at me. I already knew how fragile a boy's ego was. The crowd quickly dispersed as the bell rang for next period to start, the hallway becoming like an ant-farm as everyone scrambled to their rooms.

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Mr. Varner gave both me and Jessica a stern talking to, as we arrived too late. But thankfully no detention. I would hazard a guess that Jessica's grades had something to do with that. He didn't want to punish his best student.

Jessica was silent for the first part of the lecture, but at least she didn't complain about sitting next to me. And as the class progressed to individual tasks, she didn't seem disgruntled when I asked what the rest of the gang thought of me and Alice. I figured the joy she seemed to get from sharing gossip would help calm the waters again. And I might have picked her brain a bit to help me out with the drudgery that was trigonometry.

It seemed as if everything was as normal by the time the class ended, and she was back to happily oversharing anything interesting things she had heard by the time we met up with Angela. Who, it turns out, is a nosy little monster when you get right down to it.

''I already told you Ange, we're just starting to get to know each other! We haven't even kissed yet...'' I felt really embarrassed to admit that, but she just wouldn't stop prying. Swan powers ahoy. What felt even worse was the part left unsaid. That it was by my wish. I still didn't know why I was so nervous about that. I had kissed other kids before. Though none of them were of the fairer sex, but still. Perhaps because of some innate thing, related to what I am? Nah, that just felt like an excuse.

''What?!'' Jess hissed besides us, much too loud.

''¿Algo que desee compartir con la clase, señorita Stanley?'' Came the raspy voice of Mrs. Goff. Queue the stares. Swan curse just lets me have it, and I try to hide my face with my hair.

''No señora Goff. Me disculpo por el disturbio.'' Jessica replied smoothly, returning her gaze to her book. It appeared we were in the clear, as the teacher stuck her nose back into the cheesy romance novel paperback in her hands.

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Contrary to my hope, the two did not let up for even a second once class was over. They were grilling me even harder actually, and I wanted to tell them to get a girlfriend of their own, so they would stop hassling me about how it felt, and how I knew it was right and shit. I was saved by the knowing grin of Alice, standing by my locker. And I'll take her conniving ways over the incessant questions any day. I almost ran to her for sanctuary.

''Save me!'' I faux pleaded with her, and the chimes of her laughter greeted me like an old friend. She didn't seem to complain as I crashed into her cold body, resting my head in the crook of her neck.

''I heard you took on a bully in a crowd earlier. And you really need me to save you from your friends?'' Alice teased, ruffling my hair. She laughed harder when I mumbled yes into her shoulder.

''Uhh, we're not... Uhh.'' Jessica started saying defensively behind me, and I knew I might have taken the joke a little too far.

''She's only joking, Jess, don't worry.'' Alice replied to her with a brilliant smile. My my, what a presumptuous little elf. I stood back up and gave her a playful glare, to which she just poked her tongue out at me.

''I'll see you guys later, okay?'' I said to Angela and Jessica, who were still staring at us. Somewhat knocked out of their reverie, they just nodded and turned around and walked to their own lockers. I pulled the books out of my backpack and stuffed them into my locker with Alice watching me like a hawk. ''Penny for your thoughts?'' I asked her as I locked it up.

She looked hesitant for a second. ''I'm wondering if I might have caused to much of a stir for you, with my selfish desires.'' Alice admitted quietly. I didn't know how to respond. I could get defensive, and proclaim how I didn't find it to bother me. But that would be a lie, and Alice would know that. She knew me well enough that when I tried to make a joke about it, she knew it actually really did bother me a little, deep down.

''Wouldn't have it any other way.'' I said with a smile. I guess I sort of knew it would have to be like this anyway. But it was worth it in my eyes. I decided to take the initiative to hold hands this time, as we headed for the cafeteria. It seemed to brighten her mood.

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 **AN: That's the first chapter done. I hope you liked it, and if not you know what to do. I'll try to get the next chapter up by the twenty-ninth, and then the third one by the fourteenth next month again, so the updates will be back on track.**


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